The wolf burned like the heat of the sun for her alone
by redroses123
Summary: Rhaegar has to get rid of his wife so that he can be with the woman he loves. He does this in mad Targaryen fashion. Elia finds herself hitched for life to the second son of Rickard Stark. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise she doesn't understand yet. How will this change fates design.
1. To wed a wolf

**So big Rhaegar fans might want to flee now. Just a heads up. I've always been pissed for his treatment of Elia and I think it is noticeable. Anywho I had a poll up for what couple I should do next and Ned and Elia won. There are some different options up now feel free to go vote. Please give me a comment on what you thought about the story and thank you so much for reading!**

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Elia had no idea what had come over her husband that he wanted to travel with her only weeks after giving him their son but he insisted she come, and she said she could not be away from her newborn and so he had both the baby and Rhaenys come with them. Elia didn't want to be traveling in the winter to the north with their new born and he knew it, she also wanted to be away from him after the Harrenhal betrayal, he was quite fond of Elia when she was amusing and cleaver and made him laugh and she would dance when he sang and most importantly she had absolutely adored him but now she could bare him no children and sang none of his praise and he had little use for that. She wished he would ride with the other men and leave Ashara, the wet nurse, and herself to tend to the children but of course he didn't think of her wishes he wanted to sit in the carriage and read so he did. He did not help the women soothe the children as they cried or help cover them in furs and it was a very silent ride as neither Ashara or Elia could stand to speak to him and only spoke when Rhaenys asked something to either of them. Ashara kept worrying of Arthur he had seemed off before they departed, and it was still winter and he and the other Kingsguard and their household guard from Dragonstone was out on their horses.

Winterfell was such a welcome sight when they had finally arrived on it. They arrived and Lord Stark awaited them in the cold with his four children but none of them or the rest of their household did not seem to look too cold, to them the winds were subsiding and even if not yet, summer was not far away and they suffered much worse than this when the snow gets so high as the farmers houses and the animals die from the cold, this was like a summer snow to them.

When Rickard got the raven from the prince, he did everything a good lord does. He had rooms ready and a feast planned, and he even had Eddard come home from the vale, they all expected the prince's visit was a rouse to apologies for his behavior at Harrenhal but he did not come to apologize. He stepped out of the carriage and watched everyone kneel into the snow, Elia had thought he would allow them to skip that for the weather, but he did not. He gestured for them to arise and they did he made small talk with them and Rhaegar was amazing at amusing and beguiling people with his stories but only the girl looked in awe the Northmen didn't seem to care for Rhaegars silver tongue. Elia came up with Ashara following behind her dutifully and Arthur next to his sister since the princess held her son and heir, or at least that was the reason he told himself he stuck by the princess dutifully she was visibly shivering and was still tired and pale from her troubled labor she offered her hand to Lord Rickon Stark who took it.

She saw even the northerner's noses turn red and shiver as the wind whirled and Rhaegar talked and talked one of his favorite things.

"My love perhaps we should go inside with our hosts instead of keeping them in the cold." Elia said she only called him love to be polite and everyone could see it he nodded walking in with Rickard Elia followed thanking Ser Arthur for picking her daughter up out of the snow and handing Catelyn Tully Aegon whom she was eager to hold.

"After we've warmed up you will have to take us to your Godswood." Rhaegar declared. A serving girl brought mead and spiced milk in for everyone." The hall at Winterfell was nothing like Dragonstone, Elia did not find the room to intimidating or grand for that matter but it was well built and kept the gold out and instead of stone dragons carved into the walls Winterfell had beautiful tapestries each looked to tell a tale, but Elia didn't know any of them and wanted to learn their secrets.

"I did not think you of the old faith prince." Rickard stark said simply not to eager to take a none believe to such a sacred place in his home.

"Rhaegar loves to learn of myths legends and other religions." Elia answered softly taking her baby back making sure he was tightly bundled in his fur blanket, she chatted with Brandon's wife Catelyn by the fire. "Enjoy yourself husband but I will stay inside with the children." Elia said finally no longer feeling the sting of the cold in her hands. However, since the entered the north her usual labored breaths had softened as cold air filled her lungs.

"No." Rhaegar corrected her. "The Godswood is where northern marry, and you will marry Eddard Stark tonight." He said looking straight at her brown eyes she was confused and everyone else was shocked and did not utter a word or move an inch. Rickard wondered if this was some sort of unfunny southern joke that went over their heads.

"We are married Rhaegar!" Elia said impatiently pushing away the silly notion looking down at her squirmy baby because she could not bear for her eyes to accidently meet Eddards. Rickard realized this was no joke at all and Benjen and Brandon looked at their father for what they were to do but he didn't say a word and poor Eddard just starred at the tan princess warming herself by the fire.

"You won't grant me an annulment, you won't let me take a second wife! The hand says I cannot annul our marriage unless you consent or Dorne will leave the fold Elia, how am I to deal with Dorne, my father, and being stuck with a wife who cannot bare the third child I need!" Rhaegar said in front of their northern hosts and their own companions humiliating Elia further.

"You cannot just marry away your problems I'm the mother of your son! You'd make them bastards?" She asked almost a cry.

"No! Aegon is my heir. He needs his two sisters by his side like the conqueror. He may remain here with you till he is five then he will have to return to me. Rhaenys May stay with you till she has flowered."

"Your ma-"She started but became as quiet as the grave. Her Nobel gallant prince was losing his mind in front of her. She had seen so little of him after Harrenhall he would leave for weeks to go to kingslanding and even when he was home they had not spent time together like they once did. She couldn't even tell when it had happened when her husband had gone mad.

"We will have no part of this!" Rickard Stark hollered at Rhaegar at last. He would not be any part of the prince's madness, of him trying to rid himself of his true rightful wife, no Rickard was to good of a man to help freely shame this girl. Rhaegar waved his hand and his 35 household guards and two kings guard grabbed their swords in the room only the four Stark men themselves and the four Stark guards in the room had swords to defend themselves with.

"This was not the plan!" Lyanna cried.

" Drop your swords." Arthur said to the four starkmen he did not want to dispatch.

"I only need the second son alive Arthur, if the rest must die so be it." Rhaegar said and Rickard dropped his sword and Eddard and Benjen followed their fathers silent command and followed suit their swords making two more thuds on the ground and the four guards in the corners dropped their swords creating a loud ruckus but the wild wolf did not.

"Brandon please!" His young wife begged with tears in her eyes and he looked at Eddard who nodded his agreement before dropping his sword. Elia held her baby close to her with one arm and the other was around little Rhaenys pulling her in protectively.

"Excellent!" Rhaegar said with a clap. "Time for a wedding."

Elia was crying and shaking as she walked down the alter with Rhaegar arm and arm as he prepared to give her to another man. Lyanna was screaming and being held by ser whent. She already regretted her part in this plot as they had walked out there the stark guards came to help and several were soundly slaughtered before Rickard shouted for them to yield.

Catelyns held Brandon's arm to keep him from acting.

Ashara glowered at her brother but she had not needed to, he was already ashamed of what he had done for the oath he had sworn. He had northern blood on his swords blood of good men who came to aid their lord and his children and now they laid on the ground at this sham wedding.

"Please Rhaegar you can't do this!" Elia cried as they made it to the end of the alter.

Rhaegar nodded for her to walk to Eddard and he was infuriated when she just stood their crying and shaking instead of following his every gesture precisely.

He reached for his sword deciding he could be widowed as well but Eddard grabbed her hand pulling her up to where he stood. Even though it was not apart of a Northern ceremony Eddard wrapped his cloak around her because she was cold.

"Who comes before the old gods this night?" Rickard asked solemnly.

"Elia of houses Martell and Targaryen comes here to be wed, she comes to beg the blessings of the gods." Rhaegar said. He forgot apart of it but he just wanted to get it over with. "Who comes to claim her?" He remembered.

"Eddard of house Stark, second son of Rickard Stark of Winterfell. Who gives her?" Eddard said asking his question an odd one to ask to her first husband.

"Rhaegar Targayen prince of dragonstone, heir to the iron throne, son of the dragon, the blood of old Velyria, the prince who was promised." Rhaegar responded.

"Princess Elia will you take this man?" Rickard asked. "She does." Rhaegar quickly informed.

"I take this man." Elia said as it was already done anyways.

"Eddard Stark will you take this woman." Rickard asked and he knew what his son would say before he said it out of duty to save the family, out of honor to save the shaking girl in front of him. "Aye, I take this women."

He smiled a sad smile putting his hand on his son's shoulder. "You may kiss the bride." He told him and he gently patted his second boys shoulder before letting his hand drop back to the side.

He leaned forward and gently kissed her just barely, he found her to be beautiful but she had tears running down her face so he hadn't wanted to over step and he was surprised when she kissed him back deeply, Eddard wanted to keep kissing her but it wouldn't have been polite so he pulled away when she did but it was an amazing kiss and he wanted another but he had to wonder if the first was for him or for Rhaegar, when he looked back at the prince he did not look as happy as he had moments ago.

Their arrival feast became a wedding feast. Ned and Elia sat at the high table just staring into nothingness not believing what was happening.

Eddard broke his stare first looking over at her she had dark black hair with messy thick curls and tanned skin, she had big eyes and a long nose and big dornish lips. She was a very slender woman with small features, she absently was trying to grab at her goblet and he moved it closer their hands touched.

"Your hands are cold my lady or do I call you my princess?" He asked softly staring at her, but she didn't meet his, instead she was looking at his hands her delicate soft cold hand picked up his big calloused hand. "Yours is warm." She said touching it delicately he took both of her hands in his rubbing on them and blowing on them to warm them and she finally remembered his question. "It doesn't matter, I suppose you can call me your wife now, I'm sorry you were dragged into this I had no idea." She said softly.

"It is not your fault my lady." He said simply. He let her hands down and looked out at the room Rickard was trying to hide his fury but it was there, Brandon's wife had already whisked him off to bed before he lost his temper and got himself killed which was probably very smart. He hopped Catelyn and Elia could be friends. He wondered where Lyanna had went she probably rode off like she did when she was upset or needed to think.

There was no dancing this was not a merry wedding and the feast was quiet with only the occasional murmuring's.

Awkwardly enough Rhaegar called for a bedding but Eddard refused it making everyone stare at a man brave enough to stand up to a prince who just had men put down like dogs because he could.

"Apologies your grace." Eddard said quickly. "It wouldn't be right for me to break another man's jaw on my wedding night." Eddard said and Rhaegar to everyone's surprise laughed before he changed his mind Elia took Eddards hand and let him lead her out of the uncomfortable hall.

"Where are my children?" She asked him quietly.

"We had your wet nurse take them to the nursery old nan is there to help care for them." He promised.

He took her to his room and as she walked in she looked around it was clean and simple with a big wooden framed bed filled with furs, there was a fire with a chair next to it a dressed tucked away in the back of the room and that was it.

"Will my children be warm enough through the night?" She asked.

"They will be Nan raised all four of us." Eddard promise the princess had moved near the bed her hand touching the furs softly. "We know how to stay warm in the North my lady." Eddard promised.

"Elia is fine." Elia told him she started to untie her dress.

"Go ahead and take the bed I will sleep in the chair." Eddard said.

"What has happened to us won't be undone, I know him or what is left of him." She told him solemnly.

"Then we have the rest of our lives for that." Eddard said.

Elia went over to him with something mysterious to him in her eyes. "Goodnight Eddard." She said moments before her soft plump lips hit his own in a very gentle simple kiss that made him want more, but she turned back to the bed leaving him to sigh out. "Goodnight Elia."


	2. A Storm Brewing

**Hey guys I just I just wanted to thank you for all the love this story has gotten! Especially the wonderful people who commented and got so passionate about it which is just amazing and made me happy all week! So thank you and know that you are amazing! I am looking for a beta for this story so message me if you are interested. Anywho there might be sometime jumps in this story but I decided the second chapter should follow only hours after the first one and I really enjoyed writing about the Stark brothers in this chapter! So thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy! Please leave a comment to let me know what you think!**

"Eddard!" She whispered as she heard footsteps his eyes opened for a moment before starting to close until he heard the steps outside their door and he leaped up he had no sword so he grabbed the poker from the fire he looked at her in her slip he could see the outline of her breasts a glorious sight but it was not for the eyes of other men he had slept in his clothes except he had taken his fur cloak off which he threw to her to cover herself with as he went near the door as the handle jiggled but he had locked it, what would happen he thought if it was Rhaegar coming to his senses and wanting his wife back. He supposed that would be her choice whether she went.

Once the mystery stranger realized the door was locked, he saw the lock slowly be tampered with until the door opened up and Eddard barely missed striking lyanna with the poker who had to cover her mouth from screaming and once she calmed, she locked the door back behind her. Eddard returned the poker to the fire Lyanna's beautiful white skin was red from crying.

"What Lyanna?" Eddard asked quietly annoyed with her and just having woken up.

She instead went over to where Elia sat up in Eddard's bed. Lyanna dropped to her knees. "I am so sorry princess, I was so in love with him I thought it justified anything and it justified nothing, I'm just a stupid little girl." She said quietly.

"What did you do Lyanna!?" Eddard asked still angry Elia seemed more reasonable and was patient to listen.

"We wrote each other since Harrenhall he wrote me songs and poems and mostly he told me of his destiny and that he needed a daughter you could never give him he said the fate of the world hung in the-I fell for it all of it." She admitted.

"That it was okay to destroy his family?" Eddard asked.

"That I was important!" She cried.

"Good men died Lyanna!"

"I didn't know he was like that, I didn't know him at all." Lyanna admitted.

"He hasn't always been like that." Elia said. "He's very hard to resist but I doubt your change of heart will change his plans." Elia said. "You must run!" Elia told her firmly taking her hand. "Lyanna nodded rising slowly.

"I know, I'm going to go to the wall." She told her brothers.

"They don't take girls." Eddard said.

"No but they won't turn me away and why would Rhaegar look for me there?"

"What if anyone sees Lyanna Stark going to the wall?" Eddard asked.

"They won't." She said she handed her brother a dagger and then grabbed her hair up. "Go on then." She told him her mother loved her hair a silly thing to weep for surely, but her tears were back.

Eddard cut her hair and through it into the fire, the scent filled their nostrils Eddard opened the window only a crack to let the smell out.

Lyanna hugged Eddard. "Tell papa after he leaves, I will return." She whispered. She looked at Elia again. "I'm so sorry. Since this is my fault if my brother is bad to you, I will beat him up, for you." Lyanna said with the innocence of a girl her age making Elia smile a small smile.

Lyanna left into the night.

"Rhaegar will search the castle for her." Elia whispered.

"Nobody in Winterfell will give her up." Eddard assured.

"Yes, but he will check the rooms when he realizes which could be at any time, you cannot be found in that chair, get in bed." Elia told him, and he nodded. He kept all his clothes on getting into bed.

"You can get comfortable my lord." She said softly.

"That's very kind my lady but I don't want to over step."

"Eddard please, we are married, we won't be unmarried, I got comfortable and you are unlikely to get this fur back I've grown very attached to it. You might as well get comfortable." She teased he in turn laughed and took his boots and shirt off.

"I don't know how you can stand to be smothered in that thing aren't you hot?" He asked in his thick accent.

"No, it's so nice and warm I love it." She thought it smelled nice to like soap and evergreen trees, but she realized that was him. "I don't know how you are not freezing in your bones." She teased him.

"I'm used to it." He said but, in all truth, he couldn't imagine anyone being cold in her presence.

The window let the cold in, Eddard forgot to close it and it explained how close Elia was to him she even had her arm loosely around him.

Before the sun rose the room was entered again this time there was nothing subtle about it. Ser Arthur's boot broke open the lock and Eddard sat strait up somehow Elia had not stirred at all, she had not slept comfortably once on their journey here.

"She is a very heavy Sleeper." Arthur said looking around the room, but he was distracted his eyes kept going back to her sleeping figure.

Ned starred at the man he used to admire so much whom he had lost a lot of respect for he knew everything he did was because of his vows compelling him, but at what cost.

"Get out, before you wake my wife." Eddard said tiredly.

"Where is your sister she wasn't in her room?" Arthur said.

"Why did you go into my sisters' room?!" Eddard asked annoyed.

"Answer the question." Arthur said.

"I don't know. Lyanna goes on rides when she's upset, or needs to think, or whenever she can, she always comes back." Eddard said which was true she would return after they left.

Elia mumbled and her hand caressed Eddard's bare chest even though her eyes never opened.

"It's to early, go back to sleep." She muttered softly continuing her motion as if to soothe him back to sleep.

Arthur had known Rhaegar intended to leave her here he thought for her safety he did not know of the marriage and if Rhaegar was going to marry Elia to someone it should have been him, he should be the one whose chest Elia gently caressed.

"I will in a moment wife." He promised kissing her cheek.

"May I go back to bed now?" He asked.

"Congratulations..." Arthur said slowly, this boy had no idea how lucky he was to have her, Arthur would have jumped at the chance. He watched her move again starting to stir and he wanted to leave before she awoke and simply said. "Never harm or dishonor her." Turning to leave when he heard a sound that stopped him in his tracks.

"You've already done both for your prince haven't you Ser Arthur, my old friend." She said softly her voice still full of sleep, he couldn't bear to turn and face her, what if she was crying or glaring at him, what if she looked helpless, his stomach twisted as he thought of maybe the worst possibility, what if she was lovingly cuddling in Eddard Stark's arms. He walked out without turning back, that's what he had to do in Rhaegar's service never look back.

"Go back to sleep." Eddard soothed he could see the rage on her face, but a single tear fell from it.

"No, I need to see my children please take me to them." She begged.

"I will got get them." Eddard said pulling his shirt and boots on.

He brought her Aegon in one hand and he held her little girls' hand. Once she had them both in their arms she and the exhausted children were able to go back to sleep he sat by the fire and watched them cuddle in the bed and he wanted to lay in the bed to feel her warmth as well but he would have to settle for the fire even though it did not burn as bright.

Once the baby started to cry and Eddard woke to Elia feeding her baby and softly singing to him, "And he loves the little children." She sang she saw Eddard who immediately got up.

"I should give you privacy excuse me." He said.

She didn't look up from her babe and her voice was calm. "I'd rather you stayed then for you to open the door right now." She said softly.

"Of course." He said and Awkwardly sat by the fire trying not to watch but he never saw anything like a mother feeding her child such unselfish love.

"Sorry for the singing, I've never been very good, but the children love singing, there father always sings-he always sang to them, when he left, they were miserable without it."

"I don't know that song your singing, my mother always had me sing to her when I was young her favorite song was the bear and the maiden fair." He said he forgot to mention she was the only person he would ever sing for.

"Will you sing it for me?" she asked, and he could not bear to say no.

"Oh I'm not very good-"he started nervously.

"Please." She said, and he nodded.

"A bear there was, a bear, a bear!  
All black and brown and covered in hair!  
Three boys, a goat, and a dancing bear!  
They danced and spun, right to the fair!  
Oh, sweet she was, and pure, and fair!  
The maid with honey up in her hair!  
He smelled her on the summer air!  
The maid with honey up in her hair!

From there, to here. From here! To there!  
All black and brown and covered in hair!  
He smelled that girl on the summer air!  
The bear! The bear!  
The maiden fair!" He sang softly and nervously but he kept looking her in the eyes with an intensity she had never known.

"You have a lovely voice Eddard." She told them Rhaenys started mumbling the song to herself happily as she stretched. The baby at last seemed sated.

"Catelyn left you a dress, something that would keep you a little warmer." He said.

"Yes I'm afraid I had not packed very well." She said but the trip was sprung on her and she had no idea she would stay here in her fine silk dresses that couldn't keep a breeze out.

"That's very kind of her." She said getting up in only her slip he was going to try and excuse himself again, but she went over to him. "Will you hold him?" She asked he nodded a very quiet wolf she thought before she went to put on the new dress and undergarments removing her slip, she looked over her shoulder to see if he was watching but her honorable young husband had turned to the wall, she heard the baby fuss.

"Turn him outward he likes to look around." She told him which he struggled with until he felt her soft arms around his and she moved his arms where they needed to be, so he could hold Aegon and Aegon could look around. She was in Catelyn's undergarments and they hung off Elia who was thinner then Catelyn, Elia was thin and tall with small perky breasts he tried not to stare at. She finished getting dressed.

"So many layers." She noted.

"To keep warm my lady." He reminded her.

Once she was done, she picked Rhaeny's from the bed swinging her around making her laugh.

"Why are we here mommy!" The little girl asked. "The lady said you were not married to papa anymore?"

"It's complicated my love, but all you must know is I will always protect and love you and your brother more then anything in the world." She promised he smiled watching her he gave her Aegon back and put on a new shirt and coat before grabbing his fur cloak from where she left it, it smelled lovely, it smelled like her perfume.

"Shall we go to breakfast." Eddard said he took Rhaenys hand as they went down all the stairs.

They went to find the hall empty aside from at the main table where Eddard led them two. Brandon and Benjen sat across from each other eating.

"Where is Catlyen?" Eddard asked as he picked Rhaeny's up placing her on the bench making her giggle before sitting down next to her and Brandon on the other side. Elia went to sit across from him and Benjen stood up, she gave him a kind smile. "Your sweet but that is hardly necessary." She said.

"I let her sleep she didn't get much last night." Brandon said his eyes flickered worried Elia caught his comment he made for his brothers benefit but if she had she was to busy putting food onto her daughters plate to remark on it. "Father is entertaining the prince." Brandon continued annoyed.

"You need to eat something." Eddard told Elia who had seemed content to hold her son and watch her daughter eat. Benjen and Brandon shared a glance. "Here give him to me. Eddard said going and getting Aegon from her whom she gave him to willingly, she did not love him, she wasn't sure if she even liked him, but she did trust him. Eddard went back and sat down as she began to put a small piece of bread on her plate as well as some bacon she began to eat.

Eddard ate with Aegon in his arms Brandon even made faces at the children to get them to laugh he could not blame the son and daughter for their father's sins.

Rhaegar came in with his two kingsguard at either side of him he picked Aegon up right out of Ned's lap it occurred to Eddard Rhaegar wasn't fond of another man holding his son but Rhaegar held him close to his chest and Aegon who couldn't see much of anything, he wriggled at being held so tightly and began to fuss and Rhaegar immediately put him in Elia's arms before sitting down next to her.

"I've lost my appetite." Elia told Ned before getting up. Bran, Benjen, and Ned all stood as a lady got up. She walked out and Benjen and Bran sat back down but Eddard did not, and his brother seemed to know what he was about to do because as Eddard picked up Elia's abandoned plate the two other Northmen began to pile food onto it.

"Come on Rhaeny's we are going to go eat with your mother." He told her, and she went with him happily.

Eddard went after breakfast to do what he could to help his father around Winterfell the children played for a while but were put down for naps and Catelyn stole Elia away to go outside.

"Thank you for letting me borrow your dress, I appreciate it and ask you would do the same for my lady, for lady Ashara."

"Not at all my lady, and one of Lyann's dresses were laid out for Ashara this morning she promised.

"I thought everything about the north was so foreign when I came here, I cannot imagine how you feel." Catelyn said they walked arm in arm.

"I suppose it is pretty." Elia said looking out at the snow in the courtyard, she felt as though she was sent here to freeze to death.

Benjen and Brandon came along having a snow ball fight like they were still boys making Catelyn and Elia laugh at the revelry, until Brandon got a snow ball smiling and aiming it toward them.

"Brandon don't you dare!" Catelyn warned, and Elia just flinched but then only felt the mist of the snow going around her and opened her eyes to see her young husband jumped in front of it making his brother laugh.

He picked up some snow forming it into a ball she watched interested.

"Don't just stand there help me!" Eddard told her, and she started picking up the snow in her gloves making them too.

"Benjen is an easy Target but Brandon is ruthless." Eddard said he left out that Lyanna was the worst of them all about being ruthless, but she was a good teammate. Eddard through his and it missed Brandon who moved to fast but was hit only seconds later by Elia's snowball making contact with his face.

He looked at her in awe.

"I've never been in a snowball fight, but I've thrown many oranges at my brother Oberyn." She told him as she through one at Benjen hitting his chest. "Oberyn is very fast."

They played for a little longer before he noticed she was getting tired.

"Shall we call a truce?" Eddard asked.

"Fine." Brandon said out of breath and cold to his bones. "But next time she is on my team!" He told his brother making him laugh.

Arthur came ending the merriment. "The prince would see you all inside now."

"Where is Lyanna Stark!" Rhaegar barked.

"With any luck she's on her way to Stormsend, I am deerly sorry my daughter was apart of this mess I had not known it at all, but she is to marry Robert Baratheon they are betrothed to marry." Rickard explained calmly.

"But why would you want the Stormlord as a good son when your daughter could marry a king." Rhaegar said and nobody reminded him he was still a prince.

"I gave my word and I keep my word." Rickard told him. "I think you had best be on your way prince Rheager."

"He is your PRINCE!" one of the guards exclaimed.

"And Winterfell is still my castle and I'd like you to leave at once!" Rickard said calm he had given his boys a look to let him handle this, Catelyn and Benjen were trying to keep Brandon calm.

Eddard handed a cup of spiced milk to Elia who thanked him politely but she would have to thank him later for showing her the snow is not all bad and she stared at her young husband wondering if they would ever be happy here.

"Very well, come." Rhaegar said finally to his guards no doubt wanting to catch Lyanna. He was so worried about capturing his prize he said no goodbyes to Elia only kissing the children and Elia was happy without it she and Ashara hugged briefly whispering thousands of apologize before she was taken away with her brother.

Lyanna could not return for some time but the Starks felt secure that they would not look for her at the wall.

Days went on and they all felt safe when a raven scroll confirmed that Rhaegar was out of the North. Rickard had his sons called to him immediately.

"Lyanna has always been a smart girl, well before she brought this madness to our door." Rickard said on the matter.

"What about the princess?" Eddard asked his father, Rickard, Benjen, Brandon, and Eddard were in Rickards study. Rickard sat at the desk, Brandon sat in a chair with his feet up on his father's desk, Benjen sat against the window looking out at the falling snow and Eddard paced around the floor making the wooden boards squeak.

"That is up to you Eddard, you married her because it was our only option. Your family needs you now, but after you could take the black, if you don't want to do that, she and her children could live with her brothers in Dorne, I think she would be more than willing." Rickard suggested.

"I don't want to do either." Eddard said firmly.

"Because he wants her!" Brandon teased. "You should have seen how she looked at her today it was wonderful!" Brandon said.

"You should have seen how Brandon looked when she hit him in the face with a snowball, that was wonderful." Benjen teased

"I cannot protect her and her children at the wall, and I cannot protect them if they are in Dorne, I swore a vow." Eddard said annoyed at his brothers.

"To another man's wife, are we sure we cannot annul it?" Benjen asked.

"Rhaegar has already sent word and had the high septan and every other septan he can dig up decree it lawful and valid." Rickard said.

"Would you want it annulled." Benjen asked his brother softly.

"I need to ask what she wants." Eddard said finally but they all could see that was a no.

"I am glad you are stepping up to take care of that poor girl Ned, it shows me what kind of man you are, be good to her." Rickard said realizing no matter what happened in the days to come Ned was going to stay with her, which meant she was a Stark and deserved the protection of one.

"Benny close the door." Rickard told his youngest son.

"You are young to involve in this my sons, but Lord Ayrrn and Lord Tully and I feel the king needed replaced before he kills every man in Westeros, we thought putting his son on the iron throne was the right decision at the time, now I have seen our prince is as mad as our king. "

"You're talking about Rebellion, fighting!" Benjen said softly.

"He's talking about justice." Eddard said.

"Well I am in, for the fighting and the justice." Brandon said with a shrug.

"He said he was going to take her children away, that would break Elia, I won't allow that to happen." Eddard said.

Rickard nodded it was decided then, several things seemed to be decided.


	3. What you want to see

**Hey guys I really really want to thank you for the wonderful comments I have been getting they have really cheered me up in a bummer time and convinced me to keep writing instead of just sitting and being sad so I cannot thank you enough for those of you who took the time to write me amazing well thought out reviews, I love you guys and sincerely hope to hear more from you! Thanks to everyone who has been reading, following, and favoriting you guys help keep me going. I have alot more thoughts about this pair it just depends if I take the time to write it down but I really do like them as a couple, I was never a huge Lyanna fan but writing this story has helped me forgive her a little. I will probably never forgive Rhaegar and I am sorry die hard Rhaegar fans but I just do not think he is that great. Anyways sorry for the weird rant and thank you for reading and please leave me a coment bellow. I rarely answer them but I re-read them all week and they make me super happy! Please enjoy and thanks again!**

Soon it was decided Ned would take his new family back to the Vale where he had been living. Jon Ayrrn had been so happy to have them, Elia was surprised how helpful Eddard had been with the children on their Journey to the Vale. He was so different then Rhaegar in that aspect. In every aspect. She found her new husband was very quiet and did not fill the empty space with words, but it was never an uncomfortable silence or a frustrating one like she was used to with Rhaegar. They rode which Elia was not very used to, but Eddard said it would be quicker and less likely to be spotted, they were not on the rode to much it seemed the Starks had friends from Winterfell to the Vale happy to house them.

They were staying at Greywater watch the most interesting place Elia thought she would ever stay both Eddard and Howlen were surprised how taken this born princess was with the floating fortress she was amazed by it. The men watched as she holding her little daughter looked at the water below them. "Careful princess, lots of nasty things in there." Howlen called.

He watched his fried Eddard stare at the women as though he was inlove with her, he never thought Eddard would have a great romance and then his mouth hung open when he realized.

"Harrenhall." Howlen barely whispered darting Eddard from thoughts of his princess to give his friend a confused look.

"We thought you were Staring at beautiful Ashara Dayne, Brandon even asked her to dance with you, but you weren't looking at Ashara you were looking at the woman she was serving.

"You have no idea what you are talking about!" Eddard said flushed it was not as if he had even thought to dream about her back then, but he heard her laughter and followed it to her, he stared at her interested in her odd Dornish clothing and then as he watched her he realized he had never seen someone with such a beautiful smile have such sad eyes. Brandon had smacked him on the back an announced he was smitten.

Greywater watch was a fortress but not a large one and they had to tell Howlen many times that they were happy to all sleep in one room. The children were asleep quickly after the long travel.

"It's impossible to get a raven to Greywater watch, he had no idea we would be arriving." Eddard said sitting in a creaky chair next to the bed. She sat on the side of the bed watching her children sleep, she was so blissfully peaceful watching them rest.

"He is a very kind man; all of your family friends are so very kind and welcoming." She said softly.

"Well of course what did you think they would be like?" Eddard asked with a small laugh.

She looked at him like he should know what she was thinking as if common knowledge. "I assumed they would not want to meet my children and I, Dragons are not very popular at the moment not in the North." Elia said.

The Northern Lords were outraged at how Rhaegar had misused their religion for his own desires and they were equally livid of how he treated the Starks killing some of their household guards and forcing their liege lords second son into marriage to a married woman. It seemed everyone of every faith was appalled for what Rhaegar had done and the mad king was very busy burning septans, silent sisters, red priests, and anyone he could find who held faith in the old gods because there was not a religion in Westeros that would abide by Rhaegars decision.

That was merely a trifle compared to the great outrage of Dorne, Rhaegars plan meant nothing to them and gave them no solace, all across Dorne they were in raged at how their princesses was treated first the wound of Harrenhall and now this seemed to be the last straw and they cursed Rhaegar in Dorne and their was nobody the mad king could burn for it.

"They would not hate you for what your husband has done, its you who has suffered the most at his hand my lady." Eddard said he was amazed everyday she handled herself with grace instead of bawling endlessly at her woes.

"The Gods our allowed to test me, but I look at the good things, my children are well, and I think I am very lucky to have traveled so much, how many people can say they have seen the sands of Dorne and all its warmth and elegance and the quiet beauty of the snow in the north, I've lived on an island fortress built from dragon magic, I visited Casterly rock and saw the lion cages, and now I am going to sleep in a moving castle, I am going to see the legendary Eyrie, no I think I am a very lucky woman that no one should pity." She said with a soft smile and a clever wit he found intoxicating.

"That's…..I don't think I've ever met anyone as good as you in all my life." He said making her laugh at his blunt honesty.

"Oh I almost forgot another thing I should be grateful for." She said quickly.

"What?" He asked just astounded by her almost to the point of being speechless.

"You." She said, and he lost all his words. She shrugged gracefully "You have been very good to us in a very bad time, kind and strong and brave to fight for us, you are truly a good man perhaps the most just man I've ever met, you also were used by Rhaegar and you did not fall into pity for yourself either." She reminded, her hand gently rubbed her babes' stomach when he stirred.

She looked at Eddard he was tired to she could see it, she could also see he was young and handsome, even so young he did not have much boyish charm he maybe young but he was a man there was little denying it, he acted and walked and held himself like a man even as he sat in his wooden chair he looked like a man.

"That chair looks terribly uncomfortable." She told him it was nothing like the armchair at Winterfell.

"I will be fine my lady."

"I insisted you get a good night sleep my lord, you are the one looking out for us I do not know what we would do without you." She admitted.

He walked around to the other side.

"I don't want to hurt the baby." He said softly in his charming accent.

She moved Aegon over so he and Rhaenys were both in her arms as she laid down and Eddard got into bed.

She was surprised when Aegon whined and she woke to comfort him or feed him, but she saw Eddard half asleep pulling her babe onto him patting him until he went back to sleep she smiled at that and that Eddards light snoring did not bother Aegon in the least, she found it endearing but Rhaenys had moved on the other side of Elia to get away from the noise. Rhaenys clung tightly against her mothers arm and her other arm laid across Eddard so her hand was touching her babies back, all cuddled together they must have looked like a poor farmers family she thought until she drifted back to sleep.

The next morning the continued their journey each holding a squirming babe.

Eddard braved having Rhaenys who wiggled much more then Aegon who was much more easily sated.

"Why were you so good to my sister?" He asked out of nowhere but it had been bothering him for some time, and he ended up just making her laugh.

"I am like some foreign creature that you are trying to understand better." She said.

"I'm afraid most women are." He admitted, and she smiled mayhaps there was some boy to him after all she thought.

"What do you mean?" She asked finally she was very gracious he thought to always put up with his questions.

"You could have yelled at her, why didn't you?"

"What would that have done? Would it have stopped Rhaegars madness and brought him back to me? Your sister is not the first young girl to fall head over heels in love with him and is far from the last. I can understand." She said simply.

"How?" Eddard asked he still couldn't believe Lyanna, how could she be so reckless so heartless, he would love her his whole life long, but he did not understand her anymore, maybe he never truly had.

"I remember when I was exotic and knew, he loved that I was clever, and he felt my wit matched his own." She said Eddard could not stop from scoffing it seemed Rhaegar had always been arrogant. "He is like fire, warm and comfortable and easy to draw you in and easy to burn you." She said with a shrug.

When they finally journeyed through the bloody gate and to the Eyrie Jon greeted them warmly and treated Eddard as if he was his own son.

"My apologizes princess for the way in which you have been treated." He said rather formally.

"That's kind of you to say my lord. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for keeping my children and I here, out of Targaryen reach."

"Well the bloody gate and moat Callian has never fallen but unlike the later there is really no way around the blood gate." He said. "You will all be safe here, I cannot tell you how happy I am to have children in the Eyrie again." He said he smiled at Rhaenys who held firmly onto Ned's leg, she could be shy around new people.

"It's amazing." Elia said looking out the window in their chambers. "Have you ever seen a more amazing view?" She asked while he was busy watching her.

"After my mother died, my father took Brandon, Lyanna, and I to see the wall. Benjen was only little and he has always been jealous that we've seen it and he hasn't. "It was beautiful looking out, I stood on the edge for hours maybe, Lyanna stayed by my father and Brandon stayed by the fire but I stayed at the edge the view was great but it was the feeling of the north I loved, the coldness that made me feel numb when for so long all I felt was sadness." He said she turned to see him sitting on the bed she poured two glasses of wine before joining him at the end of the bed.

"How old were you?" She asked handing him a glass.

"one and ten." He told her accepting the goblet.

"My father died seven months after my marriage to Rhaegar, they would not let me go to his funeral because I was pregnant, and it was not safe for his heir. My mother passed not even a year ago, not even a month after Harrenhall." She admitted.

Eddard looked up at her. "Really? I'm sorry for your loss I had no idea."

"I felt like she died of shame after what happened, I've never stood on top of the wall, but I don't think I would want to because that's how the end of my marriage felt, numb and hollow. I could forgive Rhaegar for an indiscretion, he was a prince it was almost expected, but I could never forgive him for making _that_ the last thing my mother heard of me." She said, and she felt the tears slip down her face. "I'm so sorry how inappropriate we barely know each other, my apologize." She said but he wiped away her tears.

"Do not apologize, we are married, we can be more then formalities at least, right?" He asked something about his strong norther voice was so very soothing to her she wanted to be in his arms but denied herself the pleasure. "Your very kind." She said quietly turning away from him and turning back to look to the window.

"What is the best view you have ever seen?" Eddard asked trying to make her think of happier things.

"It's in my mind, it hasn't happened yet." She said closing her eyes tightly. "But when I close my eyes, I can see my children in the water gardens at Dorne playing in the pools without a care in the world and I will know we are safe." She told him.

"Your safe with me." Eddard promised.

"I know but I want to see it more than anything." Elia said but she did not open her eyes either and it compelled Eddard to close his own eyes and think of wonderful things that could happen. All his siblings and he back at the long table in Winterfell laughing and hollering at each other with his father watching proud of them all the wild northerners they maybe, but they could always make him smile. He thought of ridding up and seeing Winterfell again a great sight one he had seen before and never got tired of. Still he thought more of new sights he cursed his wantons thoughts when he imagined Elia in his bed with her long thick black hair spread all around her nothing hidden from him and begging for him made his pants feel tighter, finally he settled on the view of Elia and him in Winterfell playing and laughing and hollering with their children, it was what he wanted more then anything but doubted he would ever see, but there was hope however slight as her hand slipped into his and he just lightly squeezed it as they sat with there eyes closed dreaming of better days.


	4. Life up in the sky

**It took along time for this chapter because I wrote this adult scene for them early on but I was trying to keep the story at a T level so I am so sorry to any of you no longer interested in reading this story but because it killed me how much I did have to edit Elia and Eddards love scenes and I couldn't bare to do it more enough to get it down to a T rating and with a war coming I just felt better moving it to an M rating so sorry for the inconvenience. Anywho I really hope you enjoy the cuteness as well as the plot. Please let me know what you think and thank you guys for all the amazing comments I have gotten so far. I was asked how Elia looks and I will include some of my fancast for her at the bottom! Thank you guys so much for your support and I appreciate all the love. I hope you enjoy and have a merry holiday season!**

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Eddard did whatever he could to help Jon out he hated to not be useful. Which meant Elia had most days to spend with her children which she loved, Jon would once and awhile ask her opinion on courtly things he would think needed a woman's touch and every night after the children ate and were laid down Elia and Eddard would have dinner with Jon, once and awhile they would have others accompany them but Jon seemed to think everyone else to be dull company. He adored Eddard like a son and he thought Rhaegar never did his boy a better favor then give him Elia who was so very kind and gentle with a great wit and even if she did not notice Jon did notice how drawn to her Eddard was it seemed his eyes were never far from her.

Eddard burst into Jon's solar when he heard the news. "Have you heard?" He asked Jon.

"Ser Arthur Dayne the sword of the morning cut though Tully men like butter, yes I heard." Jon said softly Hoster Tully was an old friend.

"You know why we are here!" Eddard said he was losing his patience and Jon knew it.

"Yes, the same reason you were sent to me as a boy, you and Robert both, I could close the bloody gate and let you fight your war but Rickard had another plan."

"There's a mad man on the throne Jon, how is that OUR war."

"Because outside of our gate the rest of the world could melt away for most vale men and we would not notice, your father is a smart man, he saw an old man with no sons and worked with the stormlands to give him two, and now the world cannot melt for me, because you and Robert are out there. But bringing the princess and her children, I did not think your father would do that, but it has strengthened his cause what kind of man throws away a women like that?" Jon asked he Eddard could hear the repulsion in his voice, Rickard knew after his short time with Elia that any man with a heart would want to raise arms for such a woman being treated thus so and Jon had a very large heart.

"A mad one." Eddard said slowly. "A mad one killing people in the Riverlands!"

"I can tell you are fond of her, is it love?"

"Don't change the subject!" Eddard said, and Jon smiled he loved this boy his justness and the lawful good that drove him.

"If Robert or you ever needed me, I would ride to you with the full strength of the vale, but it's not time yet."

"We could capture the prince we could surround him!"

"Yes, but there are bigger things at work Ned, its to early to explain but if you are asking me if I would fight for you I would, I would die for you and Robert, but I am asking you to be patient." Jon told Eddard who did not understand.

"What are you waiting for Jon?" Eddard asked.

"Opportunity." Jon said simply "Bring your lovely bride and we will dine tonight without the boars of court."

"What does rebellion mean for the children?" Elia whispered as they got ready for dinner together, she was in her slip putting on her jewelry, he had taken off his tunic to wash his face before dinner, she always tied his chin length hair back so he could get clean with out getting it all wet right before dinner.

"I told you, I will protect you and your children." He assured toweling off his face, they had been at the Eyrie for a few months and he was getting used to this but it did not mean it ever got easier not to stare at her.

She smiled at her dutiful boy her hand caressed his face feeling the prickles of whiskers. "Are you trying to grown a beard?" She asked.

"Better then cutting myself trying to shave it my lady." He said making her smile.

"Allow me to help?" She asked he nodded wetting his face from the bowl he was using and sat down, he was surprised when she sat side ways on his lap applying soap to his face.

"Do you trust me?" She asked, and his only response was giving her the knife he had set aside. She took it giving him a close shave, he was impressed how good she was with the knife and he could not help but enjoy her other hand resting on his face, her sitting on his lap, smell of her lovely hair and the oils and perfume she wore made him feel heady, he never though he could enjoy a shave so very much. Then suddenly she got off of his lap smiling at her good work leaving him to wish he had more facial hair so he could have had a longer shave.

He got up putting his tunic back on, he turned when she had her dress on to lace it for her.

"Promise me, promise me they won't hurt my children." Elia said looking over her shoulder into his eyes.

He nodded struggling with the words stuck on her black eyes. "I promise." He said softly. "They will both be safe in the North, we can live with Brandon and Catelyn at Winterfell or have a holdfast." He said as he rebuttoned his shirt, he loved Winterfell but he could see them with a holdfast and watching her children play in the snow and her warming his bed. Aegon and his white hair would be safe and forgotten in the north, he knew if they rid themselves of two Targaryen's nobody would want to see a third on the throne.

Elia reached up undoing his hair. "Something tells me Jon would tease you for that." She laughed.

"Maybe it would keep the two of you from ganging up on me." He told her making her smile.

"We do not gang up on you." She mused trying to smooth out his hair with her hands.

"He always takes you side when we have different opinions."

"Maybe he likes to be on the wining team!" Elia laughed they were just seconds away she wondered if he would kiss her, the idea made her heart race.

"W-we should not keep Jon waiting." Eddard said offering her his arm.

She nodded, no he would not he never seemed to, he still saw her as Rhaegar's wife and Rhaegar forced her to be Eddards wife and it seemed she had to husbands but was nobodies wife at all.

After dinner and the children were in bed Lord Jon, Eddard and Elia were having a merry time the two men tried to teach Elia cards and she found out her husband was far to honest to be any good at cards which made her laugh to no end that no matter who won Eddard lost every time, Jon decided to play his lute for them something he had not done since he was a much younger man and Elia got up and danced and her young husband starred at her at her longingly.

"Come Dance." She told him.

"I am happy watching." He told her simply.

"Ned dance with me." She told him, and he got up making Jon cheer. He played a little melody while they danced. They danced for awhile he tried to dance as he had been taught like northerner did, his people usually clapped to keep rhythm it was not to formal or orderly and Elia danced like a Dornish woman very sensually with such precession and Eddard could feel himself falling truly madly deeply for her as she danced next to him she tried to teach him but he didn't understand it well he just didn't want her to stop, he found himself clumsily moving to the music and his hand went to her waist and pulled her in as he kissed her.

"Apologize my lady to much wine I never meant to offe-"He started but her slender finger tracing his lips stopped him. "I think it's time we retired." She said Ned gave there apologizes, and they made the climb to their bedroom, but Elia started attacking him with kisses on the way there, she had waited long enough she for the handsome northerner and he was practically caring her to the room not wanting to get caught being unchaste with his wife.

Once they were in the room though he found her pulling him to the bed and pushing him onto it she was deceptively strong when she wants to be he thought and she crawled onto him pulling at his shirt while they kissed and he removed it for her and when her fingers slide across his body he felt steam would erupt from the contrast of them. "Elia we should stop." He told her, but she kissed and sucked at his neck making his head fall against the pillow. "Why?" she asked as she moved down kissing his chest.

"Because we've never done this before and you have had far too much to drink." He told her, but he growled in pleasure when she licked his chest his hands moved to her hair without any thought.

"I've only had two cups my lord." She teased more around six he thought, and he and Jon had more, but then her hand moved against the already rising part of his trousers making her Northernman groan out in pleasure. "Two cups, that's nothing." He said when he was able to speak again.

"Nothing at all." She said she sat up fumbling to undo her dress.

"Elia are you sure? We could wait until the morning?" He said wanting to make sure she was clear of mind.

"I want you now Ned, and it is not the wine, it may have made me less shy about it, but I have wanted you for awhile now. "She assured.

"I just-"He started a little flustered.

"Have you ever laid with a woman before Eddard?" Elia asked softly her voice was kind with no judgement.

"No, I have not my lady." He said nervously. "I just want to please you, but I don't know how." He admitted. Brandon had taken him to a few whore houses before but he refused, it wasn't right and he would simply wait outside for Brandon.

She smiled absent mindedly playing with a strand of his hair. That was something that never really crossed her mind, Rhaegar had never truly satisfied her he did not even stay in her bed afterwards besides their wedding night. It was not really something she had considered she had a desire for him it was true, but she really wanted to make him hers not satisfy some itch that had never been satisfied before. "Your very sweet. If you want to wait, we can, or if you do not want that kind of relationship with me…well, that is alright to." She told him softly touching his face.

He grasped her hand keeping it to him he needed her touch. "No, I very much want you, sometimes your all I want." He told her making her smile again, Rhaegar was the poet and Eddard Stark her honest as the grave northern man had said sweeter things to her and it was nice to know, to have no doubt that he meant them every word.

"Then you need to relax, and you will learn." She promised. She moved her hand from his face moving her sleeves down her shoulders and slipping out of them letting her dress fell down to her stomach as she moved to sit and straddle him, she removed the one undergarment guarding her chest and his hands went right to her breasts as they were released, feeling at them and rubbing at them gently she let out a little purring "mmh" Noise and she immediately felt his body's reaction from in-between her legs making her gasp a little and he groaned.

"You like noise." She noted.

"I like when you make those noises for me." He groaned as she moved her hips a little against him and his grasp on her breast firmed, it felt pleasurable but in that moment, she was enjoying his face because it looked as if everything she did made him melt. Rhaegar and her only ever made babies but from Oberyn's many stories she could think of so many things to try to make her young Stark boy beg for her and the idea put a smile on her face but tonight she decided to keep it simple.

She leaned forward to kiss him and he pulled her all the way down to him until there bare chest touched as they kissed and his long wanting kisses surprised and delighted her. Her hands tangled in his hair she loved so much she was feeling the warmth between her legs she had not felt in along time.

His hands were shaky only at first as he moved on top of her, she was haunted by the want in her eyes and in that moment when his thick northern accent whispered in her ear. "Your so beautiful Elia." She could have melted away, that was the last coherent words he made after he began it was more howls and growls like the wolf on his sigil.

After he found his bliss, he moved off of her careful to not collapse on her as his breath was heavy. She rolled onto her side stroking his chest.

"Well what do you think?" She asked him placing a kiss onto his forehead, his had absentmindedly twirled a lock of her hair.

"I want to do it again." He said softly and she smiled.

"I am sure we will, we have the rest of our lives to-"She started he pulled her down to kiss her hard.

"I want you again, now." He specified his hands went to her breasts as he kissed and suck at her neck.

"That is not-" she started but as he shifted she felt him brush against her leg and she was shocked that he had regained so quickly, Rhaegar could hardly keep his eyes open after and would stumble to his own bed, she suppose Eddard was a lot younger then Rhaegar but could not think of it anymore as he pushed for her to go on her back.

He had her two more times that night until he was sated, she could not believe his quick rejuvenation, she even found her own bliss the third time and was exhausted by the time he was finally willing to go to sleep, they had no energy for robes or trousers and held each other bare in their arms.

In the morning Eddard was fully rested and Elia could have slept for days and she grumbled when she felt him on the small of her back. "Your family sigil should be a jack rabbit." She muttered with her eyes still closed making him laugh but he convinced her with kisses to get up.

"Please wake princess I have so much more worshiping to do." He told her she smiled she found her mild mannered husband could be so playful in bed his calloused fingers already moving a crossed her one hand played with her breast and the other went down to her mound and she smiled deciding she could rest later.

They only got closer as the days ran together coming into months, they ate breakfast together with just their small family watching the rain pound down on the ground far below them, Aegon bounced on Ned's knee as Ned as he would scrunch up his nose at Rhaeny's and make her laugh. Elia found the rain soothing but was tired from the night before and rested her head on Ned's shoulder.

Jon came in happily with a big smile. "Patience is a virtue and with it we are succeeding!"

Eddard and Elia looked up at him. "I pray the gods let the rain hold! Your sister must be the best rider in the known world!" Jon said.

"My sister." Eddard repeated.

"Please tell us your news Jon." Elia asked they were already very informal with each other.

"Your sister and Robert Barathon have a brilliant plan! Lyanna will ride to him as we speak he is moving all the strength of the Stormlands towards her and when they meet a septan will marry them on the spot!"

"What about Rhaegar?" Eddard asked worried.

"The prince is being distracted by a small force of Tully and Vale men." Jon informed.

"Good men being sent to their grave for us." Eddard said solemnly.

Elia took his hand. "Rhaegar is a Tourney night he will hate ridding in this weather he is probably already in some great hall or holdfast reading and the men can safely siege it." Elia told him she knew Rhaegar he would not ride in the mud and the muck it was not him.

"What about Lyanna out there, I should go I should ride with her!" Eddard said hating to not do anything.

"A big party attracts attention, we have set scout all along the rode for her when she rides up they will give her a fresh horse and she will continue and they will send ravens out immediately after she has safely passed each mark." Jon said holding up three raven scrolls.

"All will be well Eddard." Eddard nodded he believed him all seemed like it would be well.

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 **Next chapter will be about Lyanna and her journey!**

 **Thanks Anna for the question about Elia, I will at some point hopefully put my fancasts at the end of one of these! that happy day is sadly not today but for Elia Martel is usually** **Golshifteh Farhani or Sibyella Deen but for this story I see her as Morrena Baccarin**

 **Thanks for reading, I really did try and edit the smut out but it is what it is. I hope you enjoyed!**


	5. The Ravens War

**I am not the biggest Lyanna fan but this chapter was really fun to write I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for reading this story, thanks to everyone who has left beautiful reviews I love them they make my day! Please leave me a comment on what you think of this chapter! Thank you so much and please enjoy!**

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Lyanna was excepted at castle any stark would be even though the nights watch was outside of worrying about kings the starks were good to them as the wardens of the North and they knew it.

So when the starks daughter showed up the wall Lord Commander Qorgyle allowed her in with open arms but he was afraid of keeping her safe but she showed she was more then a match for the new recruits and put them in their place beating them bloody one day and teaching them how to be better ridders the next.

Lord Commander Qorgyle and Maestor Aemon watched her. "We could not hold this castle from a south invasion." He said simply.

"The girl is smart, Rhaegar would never look for her here."

Qorgyle looked at Aemon. "Not without help."

"No I suppose not." Aemon agreed the accusation hurt but he let the sting roll off of him.

"And he is you blood."

"He is." Aemon agreed. "But I put aside such things when I joined the nights watch, besides it matters not who he is I would never aid the abduction of a young girl, poor Rhaegar he means well." Aemon said simply he knew he was preparing for the long night but the Commander just shook his head he saw no good intentions in this, this was disgusting.

"First he disowns his loyal wife, but not her children, he wants everything good she has given him but nothing he doesn't, it a disgrace what he did to the princess."

"It sounds like I am not the one struggling with outside alliegence." Aemon mused. "Dornishmen are so very loyal to their royal family."

"I was Dornish, now all of me is the Nightswatch, but I am still a man and I know what is right and wrong and that was wrong, the fact that we are here simply means we can have no part in it, which is lucky for Rhaegar Targaryen I would lead the Dornish army myself to his doorstep." Lord Commander Qorgyle "And don't even get me started on the _noble prince_ hunting a 4 and ten year old girl, shameful." He spat.

Aemon was about to say more but the Stark girl came up the steps, he wondered if cutting her hair was to make her look like a boy because he couldn't say it did, maybe she was suppose to just not look like Lyanna Stark he supposed.

"Lord Commander Qorgyle I would like you to thank you for letting me participate."

"You call it participating I call it beating the recruits into shape." He shrugged.

"Maestor Aemon, I wrote something I was hoping you would send for me." Lyanna asked she grasped the scroll carefully she wrote small as to not break the poor ravens leg but she had a lot to say. She was just surprised who she had to say it to.

 _Lord Baratheon, I am sure you have heard what has happened, that Rhaegar Targaryen came into our home and killed our guards dishonored his wife and was planning on taking me as his new wife. You may not know that some of the blame goes to me, you can give all of the blame to me if you want, you deserve as much. I was going to runaway with Rhaegar because of doubts about our future together, I was a stupid girl who fell for a fairies tale. I realized it was wrong and I put my family in danger and I have a duty to marry you. If you would still have me. But I have put my family indanger, I am hidden but he will not stop till he finds me and I need your help if I am going to escape him, he has gone mad completely. I have put everyone I love in danger and you are the only one who can help me undo it! I would understand if you hated me but I would beg for you to help us if that's what it took._

 _Yours (If you'd have me) Lyanna_

She waited for weeks and received word from her father Eddard was to take his family to the Vale to muster support to their cause and Brandon rode out to his good father for the same.

Aemon came up to her as she ate breakfast next to the brothers, Lord Commander Qorgyle had her sleep in his chambers since the door locked, he told her she could eat their as well and suspected her to live their but that was not Lyanna, she had no guilded dreams of what the nights watch is she knew what it was, but they were hiding her from a mad prince, they were her brothers.

"Love letters?" One asked and many laughed. They thought she was a hostage that they were keeping until the Starks decided where to put her.

She broke the stag praying as she did it.

 _Lady Lyanna_

 _Whatever you need I will supply it_

 _Your Betrothed Robert Baratheon_

Aemon advised her to burn all notes she received but she adored this one as short as it was only 12 words to the book she had began to him but it was simple and to the point and he came through for her after everything and it was so very Robert and for some odd reason the little hope was more beautiful then all Rhaegars beautiful words.

MY kind _Robert_

 _Thank the gods for you. You would really forgive me so quickly?_

 _Yours Lyanna._

She wrote in bed at night, she could not believe how easily he was forgiving such a large blunder, he could yell or scream or leave her to die for her stupidity, but Robert though he was young and reckless and certainly no handsome soft prince Rhaegar, but he was exactly what she needed he was going to safe her while the beautiful prince was trying to abduct her. She could never thank him enough and she found herself thinking of him with a more affectionate glance. She found herself eager as maestor Aemon brought it to her.

 _Lyanna_

 _I cannot say I have not made mistakes before, so I cannot judge you harshly, I can see where a young girl would prefer a prince. Daft one as he is._

 _Robert._

She had to laugh it was so Robert, when she had first met Rhaegar it was because he came to talk to his cousin Robert, she was so taken with him. Robert was only ok with him, Rhaegar was to formal with niceties for Robert he would take an honest man who was who he was any day over dapper false Rhaegar, maybe it was what he liked so much about Eddard she wondered. But after the Tourney after the flowers Robert hated him, infront of everyone he kindly said he was just giving Lyanna her do but she knew he told several people including her father he hated men who didn't know what belonged to them and what did not, at the time she rolled her eyes because she did not like him presuming she was his either. Now she would much rather belong to Robert then Rhaegar, Rhaegar wanted to save the world, but he didn't care much for people, Robert would fight for people now and for to save the world for people later, he was good.

 _Sweet Robert_

 _I can never thank you enough, truly you do yourself a great credit as a good man, perhaps a good husband someday, I must find a way to repay you. After all I would like to be a good wife._

 _Lyanna_

She got oohhs and awes as she gave the scroll to Aemon.

"So Lya who is the boy?" A farmers son called Wilhem.

She just glared at him, but he was right there was a boy she waited desperately to receive word from and could not believe it was Robert. IT was true when she was working with the other recruits she thought of Robert, at night she thought of Robert, and when she had no word from him she thought of Robert. It was the only thing that kept her from longing for my family.

 _Lyanna_

 _Repay by forgiving me easily by forgiving me during my first blunder in our marriage. Are you sure you are safe where you are at?_

 _Robert._

She wondered if he had figured it out or if his maester told him. She never used the nights watch seal but the Lord Commander still had his own and let her use it to rally support. she laughed at his request but no longer thought it a great pain to be his wife.

 _Robert_

 _It is Kind of you to worry but I have been teaching them manners, I was told if I was a boy, I would make Ranger. I swear I will be the most patient forgiving bride you have ever met._

 _Lyanna_

When I got his raven it brought a smile to my lips.

 _Lyanna_

 _As long as you are mine. I must admit I fell in love with your beauty and now I fall deeper into your strong braveness and bold character_

 _Strength, bravery,_

 _Robert, with Stannis correcting my grammar_

She laughed allowed and could not stop, Robert was always making her laugh and Rhaegar only ever mad her cry, at first she cried at the beauty of the word and now at night she cried they were harassing my family. Laughter could keep you warm at night no tears even happy ones. Then she realized something that though it was dangerous and she was told never to do it, she left her bed at night to send him a raven.

 _Robert_

 _You do not know how happy I am for you to write that, Robert I long to be yours truly, which made me realize, if we marry, I cannot give Rhaegar a legitimate child he put Elia aside for._

 _Your Lyanna if only in thought_

It felt like every second was a year waiting for his reply. Then finally she saw Maestor Aemon I went over to him expectantly and he smiled.

"Do you have a letter for me?" She asked softly.

"I do, we must remember what we want and what we need are to different things." He said and she smiled glad even he was on her side or at least she had thought so.

 _My beloved Lyanna_

 _Shall I ride to you, I will at once?_

 _Your Robert._

She smiled he was on board with the plan but Rhaegar was still in the Riverlands.

 _Sweet Robert_

 _You would be killed or followed, what if I came to you._

 _Lyanna_

She was not surprised by his response not in the least.

 _Lovely Lyanna_

 _It's to dangerous, I will bring an army to you._

 _Robert_

 _She informed the lord commander of her plans and asked for a horse._

 _Impatient Robert,_

 _You will find yourself attacked in the rear by the Kings army. I can do this, please do not doubt me now, not when I'm falling for you._

 _Your strong, brave, bold Lyanna_

She wrote wondering if he would take offense.

 _My strong, brave, bold Lyanna_

 _Alright but I will edge my forces to you and we will be married by a septan on the spot. I am only afraid of loosing you and our new found connection, I would happily go to war to save you Lyanna, I would fight for you and your family and anyone you asked me to._

 _Your ignorant Robert._

She siled at her words but hated herself for not giving him a proper chance and starting this whole mess.

 _MY beloved, brave, strong charismatic and forgiving Robert_

 _I have informed father; he and his friends will attend to it. I cannot wait to see you._

 _Your impatient Lyanna_

The next days were all planning and preparing and choosing the right mount for the journey. She was given food they could spare and she hugged both the Lord commander and Maestor Aemon who handed her a final letter.

 _My Lyanna,_

 _We move North. I will not breath freely until you are in my arms, I will miss our letters though I am slightly relieved I do not think I am a match for you with a pin or with a brain._

 _Forever your Robert_

He made her laugh as always, but he had finally made her cry she was holding back tears as she left castle black. As she rode, she let them go freely. She was already imagining there reunion of jumping off her horse and into his arms and them being right there in their dirty ridding clothes.

"There she goes, the last chance to save the world." Aemon said softly as he watched the she wolf ride out of sight he pulled out a little bit of parchment and found himself writing his family for the first time in a long time. He never actually me little Egg's great grandson but he wrote the phrase down on the parchment all the same deciding clever prince Rhaegar would have to decide its meaning. He did not sign it only addressed it.

 _Prince who was promised_

 _Lyanna Stark is headed from the North to Robert Baratheon. You must embrace your destiny Rhaegar. You must Kill the boy._

Arthur shot the raven down and delivered it to his prince. "I intend to." Rhaegar said crumpling up the parchment.

"From now On I want you to shoot every raven we see, I don't trust any of them Arthur, not the Tully's sending men after their prince, not Jon Ayrrn and his kind words but he won't help us either, and all the north is against us, why do they not understand I am trying to save them that nothing else matters but this! My holy work!" He said and for a moment his perfect prince formality slipped, and he seemed more like a whining boy. All Arthur could think was that Elia mattered, she mattered to him, but he said nothing and did his duty.

A raven flew from the East and Arthur shot it down and had to ride away to go retrieve it he found farm children gathering by it, he moved them aside getting the message but leaving them the bird. "Take it to your mother to cook." He said as he got back on his mount but curiosity made him open the scroll.

 _Lord Father_

 _Elia is having my child!_

 _Eddard Stark_

Arthur cursed but he shuttered to think about what Rhaegar would do when he handed him the message.

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 **Thats right Elia is having a little Stark! I was going to have this chapter be all of Lyanna's journey but I decided to break it up more then that and so you just get what she was doing at castle Black while Eddard was with Elia. I thought about putting Rhaegars reaction in but I decided to leave it for a later date. I know it was assumed sweet Maester Aemon would comfort Lyanna and talk about his families maddness but I really believe he believes in the prophecy and sees Lyanna as a silly girl running away from her destiny but his hands are tied by his oath to the nights watch until he decides by telling Rhaegar he is protecting the realms of men.**


	6. It Begins

**Hey guys thank you so much for readings and all the amazing comments, they make me smile all day. Anywho I hope you enjoy this chapter and leave me a comment to let me know what you think! Thanks again!**

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"I-I can feel it?" Eddard said worried, but his graceful lady wife just hit him with the pillow from the bed they laid in, it was a cool morning in the eyrie but they were warm under fur blankets and warm embraces.

"You won't be able to feel anything for a long time. "She told him as he still felt up her growing stomach. She found out she was a little more then three months along. "It's only just moving." She said. She had found out she was 3 and a half months pregnant and felt her baby moving much earlier then she had with Aegon or Rhaenys and poor Eddard was frustrated to be kept out of such a wonderful moment, but she had to laugh he knew next to nothing about babies.

"Father never sent any word back about the baby which is strange." Ned admitted, he was so furiously proud of his unborn child and of Elia for carrying it and he wanted his father to be as well.

"Maybe he wanted the marriage annulled." She said softly as he looked at those big black eyes he adored.

"No, I am sure he did not." Eddard promised, she kissed his noes poor Eddard had been so fidgety of late he wanted to be out there where ever out there was. Her ravens were coming, until they weren't. They stopped three weeks into her journey before she even left the North but Jon remained confident Rhaegar could not pass through Moat Calliagn and wondered if she should not stay in the North, why would she be so determined to go to Robert anyways.

It took months to send a ridder to Winterfell and back to the vale, but they found Rickard never received news of the baby.

"Which means our Ravens are being interrupted on their course." Jon thought wisely as he sat by the fire.

"Which means Lyanna's scrolls could be out there two." Eddard said desperate to hope even though she was silent she was still out there.

"There is nothing to do but wait." Jon cautioned.

"I could be with Robert and his army!" Eddard said.

"He is waiting too however impatiently." Jon said Robert was making waves not all his banner men wanted to stand against their prince many were loyalists and Robert reminded them who was their liege lord news would travel to Kingslanding soon if it had not already.

"So, I am just supposed to wait in comfort while Lyanna is gods only know where, with Rhaegar pursuing her. Robert is actually fighting and what am I doing!" Eddard yelled Jon never saw Eddard get worked up that was always Robert.

"As you are told." Jon said simply the messenger got word back form lord Stark as well and Jon handed him a letter.

 _Son_

 _Leave your messages unsealed we have nothing to hide. I want you to know of my love for you and your sibblings, how proud your mother would be of you and how often I think of her. Your brothers miss you dearly as well. With the cold I hope the children are well, Congratulations on your child, I pray you are happy with your wife please let her know I saw a snake in the snow, that vile man knew not what he has done when he through away such a woman with so many friends. Be good to her and do right by her and your child. Do not leave your home until I tell you too. Coll heads must prevail at a time like this. Enjoy your wife and children we never know when we will be separated from our loved ones._

 _Father_

He noticed he did not use any names, just Son, Father, Wife and that Vile man for Rhaegar which made him laugh. He wanted the letters to be unsealed without the a stark seal, which of course meant nothing important would be in them and spies would lose interest in dull smalltalk, his father was a very clever man. He called the Vale his home, he didn't want Rhaegar to know his location should the rider have been stopped, but the Vale would never be home. Winterfell was home and he longed to be back with Elia and their babe.

"A good son does as he is told." Eddard said simply and Jon nodded his approval.

"And you have always been a good son to Lord Stark and myself. This might still come to war boy, and these next few months will be very precious to you indeed." Jon promised.

Eddard grumbled but showed the letter to Elia wanting her advice.

"My brother is at Winterfell." She mused wondering if he hated the cold as she did when she first arrived, now it wasn't so bad, she often daydreamed of Eddard teaching the children to have snowball fights when they were older.

"Is that what that snake bit means, couldn't understand it." Eddard admitted making her laugh.

"It may have fooled you but Arthur would have known immediately." Elia said thankful the letter was not in the wrong hands. Even Rhaegar could have managed that one, Rhaegar was very knowledgeable her only doubt was that he may not know the reputation Oberyn had earned himself or really cared enough to give it thought.

"I assume that means we may soon count on Dorne?" Eddard asked unsure.

Elia was as sure as the air in her lungs. "I wrote to all of Dorne." She said simply. "They will come for me, I am a Martell of Dorne, I am their princess." She assured. He smiled she seemed so proud of her people, not unlike Northerners he thought.

Rhaenys ran into his arms he picked her up tossing her in the air and catching her making her giggle.

"I will address Catelyn only as sister, but I need to write her back, it seems we are pregnant at the same time." She mused.

"Really?" Eddard said with a smile Brandon must be ecstatic. Rhaenys begged him to throw her up again and he did so but soon after she was done giggling she had ran off to play.

"Apparently there is something to be said about Stark men in that aspect." Elia teased.

"Or the women that put up with them." Eddard said back. "I'm happy for Brandon, hopefully his coming child will keep him sane through all this waiting." Eddard groaned.

"She is a Stark, you seem like a very stubborn lot, I am sure she will make it and soon she and Robert will be married covered in dirt and wearing ridding clothes." She said trying to make him grin, his smile was a very sincere on.

"Sometimes the best weddings happen with very little notice indeed."

Eddard went back to help Jon with the rest of the day but found himself thinking of her and the babe she carried.

Eddard was going back to their rooms when he heard Elia. "Eddard come quick!"

He ran up the stairs grabbing at his sword but when he burst in to find the boy he had once been afraid to hold crawling. Aegon's little face was so determined as he moved across the floor. Aegon would say Mama and Eddard was Edar and Jon was yon which he seemed to enjoy greatly and Eddard was sure he was so very smart for his age to know all that.

Elia was grinning her stomach seemed to grow everyday but she sat on the floor watching him crawl around on the rugs, Elia noted him trying to push up to crawl lately and had rugs brought in to be easier on his hands and knees. Eddard was sure he himself had crawled on the stone and wood of Winterfell's floors he remembered Benjen doing as much but he let her have her way, she would still have to adjust to their new life, he would never let Rhaegar take that baby but Aegon would grow up as the second son of Winterfell's son, Elia still saw him as a prince twice over.

He sat next to her watching him. "Come here, come here." He told Aegon patting at him but the boy was to happy crawling about after the cat. Ned was content in that moment when suddenly, Elia started crying on his shoulder.

"Why would he want to miss this, all of this." She cried he knew she meant Rhaegar, and Eddard had no answer, he had been thinking about leaving a lot, he still thought fighting was the right thing to do here and now, but he worried he would miss Aegon's first steps and so much more. He was afraid Rhaenys would grow out of her questioning phase she lately asked every question under the sun until even calm patient Elia was at her wits end and Eddard never minded his temperament was calm and he would walk with the toddler all around the castle she would ask questions and he would answer them best he could, and when he thought of the child not yet born, not being with her as she had the baby, it killed him. His only answer was that Rhaegar was mad for missing this and mad for not loving them enough.

"I don't know…." Eddard said and then had an idea to soothe her. "Do you have his hair?"

"What?" Elia asked.

"My mother cut a piece of Brandon, Lyanna, Benjen and mines hair when we were babes, she bound them together with string and kept it with her until she died, now Lyanna said she sees my father with it sometimes." He said and then wondered if she would think that a weird Northern thing, but she only said.

"That is so sweet." She cuddled into him, his arms wrapped around her and met at her stomach. "Tell me about your mother." She asked softly. He talked and she listened to him. It felt like they were there for hours laying together.

It seemed they spent a lot of time together and Elia was surprised, she thought her young Lord husband would not have much to do with her now that she was with child and could not be bedded. Every day to her amazement he would come, to play with the children when he could, to feel her stomach as it grew, and he just enjoyed her company her he loved to talk with her.

They got ready to go to dinner with Jon.

"He's a good man." She mused as he helped her dress. "Jon I mean."

"He is like a second father to me." Eddard admitted. "What made you think of that?"

She shrugged, somehow with her growing stomach she looked radiant to Eddard her long black hair seemed thicker then ever, her skin shown and he tried not to stare at the deeper curve of her breasts. Her long graceful fingers fiddled with the collar of his coat. "Just thinking of names." She mused. "What do you think?" She asked a man should have some say in his sons name after all.

"I think…I am in love with you." Eddard admitted, and she laughed.

"You have no idea of love." She told him smoothing down his hair.

"I thought I knew love, I love my father, my mother, my brothers as different as they are, I thought I was in love with Rhaegar the moment I saw him." She said laughing at the silly girl she was. "And its all well and fine until you hold your child in your arms, I would gladly die for my mother and father and brothers and Dorne herself, but I would do much worse things for my children, lie, betray, cheat, kill, I would do anything for them." She told him.

"I would die for you." Eddard said softly and the look in her eyes told him he meant it, his stare always memorized her. She believed him. "I love you." He told her again sure of himself and his feelings.

She kissed him soundly and then rested her forehead against his.

"Your good and brave and gentle." She whispered softly. "But I do not want to get hurt again."

"I will prove I am not like him, I promise you that." Eddard said with a new reason to hate Rhaegar.

Jon burst in noticeably out of breath from the stairs. "Rhaegar has abducted Lyanna!" He said in shaky breath.

"It begins." Elia said softly her hand squeezed Eddard's who was just staring at Jon trying to grasp it. Elia wanted to comfort him but she also doubted he would want her comfort after what just happened between them, after what Rhaegar just did.

" We will get her back Eddard, Robert is coming here and we will-" Jon started.

"I would like to be alone Jon." Eddard said their was not a trace of blame in his voice, this was not Jon Ayrrn's fault all he had done was to help Lyanna.

"Of course." Jon said and Elia moved to follow and Jon held the door for her but Eddard grabbed her hand.

"Stay." He asked and she nodded neither of them even heard the door as it shut grey eyes stared into black eyes. Eddard didn't rage or whine like most men he held onto the end of the bed to keep his self-steady he wanted to war and rage like Robert was surely doing but he knew doing something rash now would not help Elia he would do as his father bid but their was an anger in him he had never known before a hate that belonged completely to Rhaegar.

She reached out for his hand and put it to her stomach. "T-the babies kicking!" He said softly if only for a moment he wasn't quite so bitter.

"The little rebel." She mused, "I believe it is coming to fathers aid." She teased.

He bent down to kiss her stomach. "I will fight this war when the time comes. For my sister and my family, for the north to not live under tyrants rule, for Aegon and Rhaenys not to be ripped from their mother whenever Rhaegar has use for them, but more then anything else for your mother and you, I will never let him near either of you as long as I live." He swore to her stomach before kissing it more her hands carefully combed through his hair.

"My baby is lucky to have such a honorable father." She said softly.

He looked up at her dark eyes. "I will kill him." He said tears running down his face.

She wiped them away. "We must get Lyanna back, and then you can kill Rhaegar, and his father both." Elia told him evenly he watched her face she felt no sympathy for Rhaegar. She would later ask for Rhaella and her son would be house wherever they were and she would look after them herself, after the war here at the Vale or at Winterfell.

His hand softly rubbed her belly. "Just know that we are both on your side now and always." She promised and he smiled a small painful smile.

"And so, it begins." He said simply repeating her words.

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 **So This chapter was over a long enough span for Elia's pregnancy to move forward and for Lyanna to get captured. I am thinking about doing a Rhaegar chapter but I am not sure. What do you guys think? Anywho Thanks again for reading!**


	7. The New Wolf

**Decided not to do Rhaegars chapter yet, I must say I LOVE the idea about Rhaella getting a chapter so thank you guys for the amazing suggestion. Short sweet chapter but more angst is coming. Thank you for reading and please leave me a comment about what you think! I do not usually respond to comments but I do love them and do a happy dance and fly high for about a week so yeah comments are awesome! Thanks again guys and please enjoy!**

Finally Rickard told his son to go with the Vale men, the Baratheon, Tully, and northern forces were coming and they tried to surround and capture the prince, but Rhaegar, Arthur and Lyanna slipped away into the night, his household guard were captured and question along with Ser When, nobody knew anything aside from Arthur booked passage on a ship and Northernmen went back to the North taking them to the wall. Aerys would see this as an act of rebellion, they suppose it was.

"What do we do now." Eddard asked.

"March on Kingslanding!" Brandon said angerly.

"No, we can not risk Lyanna's life." Rickard said, "I've already discussed with Jon and Lord Tully they will be sending their men back and so will we, Robert needs to go home and get his banners in order, House Conington is sieging Stormsend, Stannis is holding it well for such a young man." Rickard noted.

"Stannis would turn to a skeleton holding Stormsend for his brother, not that Robert would appreciate it." Brandon said and Ned loved Robert but it was true.

"I'm glad I raised my boys better." Rickard said clasping their shoulders.

"You have to admit Robert has been different." Ned said his fury was expected but every whore who found their camp seemed to go to Robert and he turned them away saying he was to angry for it, apart of him thought he was too inlove with Lyanna for it and couldn't think about fucking whores when she was somewhere being raped by Rhaegar Targaryen. Eddard even found Robert sullenly looking at raven scrolls he kept inside his tunic. Robert didn't say and he did not want to intrude on something so personal. When they found out Rhaegar fled he never saw Robert curse so much and Robert had taught him how to curse when they were boys.

"Well, we need to go with our men, be good Eddard, don't fight at the Vale, but if you do fight-" Rickard started with a smile.

"Win." Eddard said something Rickard had told him when he was sent away as a boy.

"That's my boy, I am so very proud of you Eddard." Rickard told him.

"We cannot just go home we need to do something!" Brandon said angry.

"Ned will go home to his pregnant wife just like you will go home to yours, come on it wont be long now." Rickard said but his son just got on his horse and rode off in anger.

"He will come around." Rickard assured.

Eddard nodded.

"How is the princess?"

"She is good, she gets sick some with the air getting so cold but spring has arrived so I hope she will be better. I love her." Eddard said.

Rickard laughed. "I know, you have that look in your eye."

"She has written every Dornish house."

"Good, Rhaegar is counting on Dorne." Rickard said.

"He won't have it." Eddard promised.

"You just go back to your wife and child, nothing is like holding your baby in your arms, nothing." Rickard promised.

Eddard went home and not three weeks later Elia gave birth in the Eyrie she was half asleep but her child's screams were the only thing that kept her conscious was hearing the baby's strong cries.

"Give it to me!" She cried but they were cleaning the baby she heard its powerful lung Northern lungs she thought. She was covered in sweat that made her dark hair curl. The birth had taken only 6 hours. Along time for Eddard to pace around the floor boards but a quick birth for Elia considering she labored two days to bring Aegon into the world. The midwives were surprised how well the Dornish lady was the woman who was suppose to be unable to have a baby did well for her frail health.

"L-let me see my baby!" she almost begged and it was brought over to her swaddled screaming its little lungs out, it had northern pale skin but Dornish lips and a thick head of thick black Martell curly hair.

"A girl my lady." The midwife told her softly as if trying to deliver the bad news carefully.

"Bring Eddard in!" She said not looking away from her daughter, and the girl nodded after feeding her the babe settled in her arms and Elia smiled triumphantly at her, Rhaegar was sure she could not bare him another child and she just gave Eddard the little girl Rhaegar longed for, how ironic.

Eddard came running to her side, he looked at his wife she was pale and sweaty but she was fine he kissed her head thanking his old Gods. "It's a girl, I'm sure you wanted a boy but-" Elia started but Eddard just shook his head. "No, no she's perfect." He assured her, Elia carefully places the baby in his arms and he held her like she was the most precious thing in the world, She thought she saw tears in his eyes.

"What shall we call her?" Elia asked.

"Anything you want." Eddard told her.

"Mariah Stark." Elia said softly a Dornish girl name and a northern surename, she was truly the best of both worlds Elia decided.

Eddard held his daughter while Elia slept it was not until she woke seeing his somber ton that she touched his hand gently.

"What is it husband?" She could tell how troubled he was.

"Aerys has taken my brother captive for demanding justice and I am still to sit in the Eyrie." Eddard said lowly. "I've wrote father, but he urged me to stay here, he says this can still be handled with words, but you know it will end in war?" Eddard asked softly.

"As long as you come home to us." Elia agreed her grasp on his hand tightened and he saw the desperation in her eyes and he let her pull her to lay down next to him. "As long as you promise to spare the innocent, Rhaella who has long been suffering abuse, her little son. I would be happy to jail them myself if it meant they were to live." Elia said.

"It will all be taken care of." He hushed kissing her head.

Eddard smiled. "I don't want to ruin today." Eddard said the war could wait. "I will go get Aegon and Rhaenys I bet they are dying to see her. "Eddard said.

"Not until I am cleaned and they change the sheets, I will not scar my children." She told him making him smile.

"You did it, you brought this beautiful girl into this world Elia, I will never be able to thank you enough for that." Ned said sometimes she thought he still had the pureness of a boy.

After she was cleaned and the linens changed Eddard brought Rhaenys and Aegon to see the baby. Eddard lifted Aegon up still a babe himself. "baby." Aegon said. "Baby baby!" He cheered.

"When will she play with me." Rhaenys asked.

"Once she is a little older." Eddard promised.

Eddard let the children see the baby he even took them to ready for bed when it was time.

Elia rested while Eddard proudly showed Jon Ayrrn his baby girl with a great smile on his face.

He then returned to Elia with their babe.

"You are spoiling me with attention." She told them they laid in bed together with their sleeping baby in their arms.

"Why would I not." He told her kissing her ear.

"Your so good Ned I sometimes think you don't even understand all the terrible little things people can do to one another." She said softly she never received this kind of affection from Rhaegar when she gave him children when he saw Rhaenys he simply said next time she would give him a boy. When Aegon was born he told her that their must be another but the maestor said their must not. Eddard Stark looked at his daughter like she was a gift from the gods themselves and he was truly blessed.

In the night Elia woke up to see Eddard holding Mariah comforting their fussy baby. "You are alright, everything is alright." He promised her. "You are a Stark, you have a mother and father who love you, there is no reason to cry." He told her. The baby fussed more and Eddard rocked her, he learned a lot from caring for Aegon.

"Dornishmans wife was as fair as the sun and her kisses were warmer then spring." He sang softly and Elia listen to her husband sing until she fell asleep.

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 **Sorry Mariah is an Oc but I do plan for them to have at least on of his cannon children. This story is about Eddard and Elia but I am VERY tempted to right a story about Aegon and their other children afterwards, would anyone be interested in that? Just curious? Thanks again guys I hope you have an amazing week! Keep me in your thought as I am trying to write more about the war and battles which is not my fortieth but I want it in this story especially!**


	8. Calm before the Storm

**Thank you so much for all the love guys! It really keeps me writing so I appreciate it a lot! Thank you so much for reading I hop you enjoy this chapter!**

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Brandon rotted in prison, his son was born without him. Catelyn named her boy Robb at once when Robert swore to her he would bring her husband back or die trying in a letter. After two months a peace was discussed, Rickard Stark went to Kingslanding where he would bend the knee and get his son back, Rhaegar had apparently forced Lyanna to marry him and was considering Rickard his good father, there was promise favor to their house, Rickard wanted none of that he just want his son returned to him and his daughter to be freed or as free as she could ever be, he answered the call to go bend the knee, it took him a month to get there and Eddard was worried but as always was told to do nothing.

Elia was worried if he sat around much longer it would kill him. He was quiet as he helped Jon as he played with the children or ate dinner with them. When Mariah opened her eyes they were grey like her fathers and Elia saw Eddard smile for the first time in weeks but it didn't last as she hoped it would.

"I cannot bare it." Elia told him finally as they were silently getting ready for dinner.

"What?" Eddard asked worried she had recovered from their daughters birth quickly considering she was on bed rest for half a year with Rhaenys.

"I cannot bare another polite marriage where I do not know the first thing going on with my husband." She told him.

He just starred at her speechless and then sat down hard in his chair.

"I know you are suffering" She told him as she went to him kneeling between his legs. "Talk to me, let me comfort you let me make it easier to bare." She told him.

He pulled her up into his arms to sit on his leg.

"I don't want to bother you with it."

"It is not a bother, it never could be." She promised.

"I'm afraid if I talk about it I will never stop screaming." Eddard admitted.

She knew what that felt like, after Harenhal she was almost silent she refused to talk about it and could barely stand to speak to Rhaegar she was a elegant ghost that haunted Dragonstone.

"Poor Benjen is just a boy!" Eddard said.

"Oberyn is with him." Elia remind Eddard looked at her not sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"He has a natural talent for taking care of people in need, he is very kind though he hide it well, he only takes bastards as his squires because he knows they have fewer opportunities, I will right him and make sure he is doing everything he can for you brother." She promised.

"Thank you." Eddard said softly.

"Do you want to say more, you don't have to." Elia told him softly and he was silent.

"We could go to dinner and we could put on happy faces or we could hold each other in bed." She told him and giggled like a girl when he picked her up and dropped her into their giant bed.

Robbert arrived howling like a mad dog.

Eddard had left their chambers to join him and Jon in discussion. She imagined they were in the solar but she could hear Robert screams all the way up in her rooms. She walked around rocking Mariah who awoke with the Storm lords shouts.

"WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS!"

She looked at her frightend children on her bed, Rhaenys held little Aegon close to her. At only one he did not understand the shouting but Rhaeny's would understand more.

"I WILL KILL EVERY TARGARYEN I GET MY HANDS ON!" He shouted and it was the last straw Elia handed her baby to her handmaiden and stormed down to them.

She arrived in time to see Eddard hit Robbert. "My wives' children are Targaryen's my little son and daughter! Never threaten them in my presence again!" Eddard said more emotional then she had ever seen her strong silent husband.

"Lady Elia, we are unfit to host a lady at the moment apologize." Jon said rubbing his temples.

"That's alright Lord Ayrrn I only came to defend my children from those who would harm them, but I see my husband has already done so."

"You could hear all that upstairs?" Robbert asked shocked.

"I would count on them hearing you in the red keep my lord." Elia hissed.

"Apologize my lady I had forgotten about your children." He said formally.

She walked passed him going to Eddard inspecting his hand. "Does it hurt?" she asked she was proud of him defending her children.

"It's fine Elia." He promised.

She kissed it her eyes staying on his Smokey grey eyes. He breathed in deeply like he could breath her in.

"I will let you get back to your discussion, so you may conclude at a decent hour." Elia told him.

"If we are out to late, I will try not to wake you." Eddard said softly, he had been desperate for her lately but did not want to ask after she had just given him a child.

"I will wait for you." She promised watching the smile appear on his face before a polite nod. She moved closer to him and kissed his cheek keeping it quick and polite, but she lingered as long as she thought appropriate.

"Good evening Elia." Jon said with a smile he thought of the girl as his own good daughter and he admired her fire coming down here ready to fight for her children.

"Good evening Jon, my apologies for interrupting."

"You are always a welcome sight in my old eyes." Jon told her.

"Try and keep your voice down when you are making threats Lord Baratheon." Elia said swiftly leaving.

Finally, Robert let out a low whistle when he thought she surly could no longer hear him.

Jon laughed. "I should have warned you Robert they are deeply in love these newlyweds."

"Doesn't seem fair I get hit and Ned gets laid for it!" Robert laughed.

"Do you love her Eddard? It feels like you do the way you hit me." Robert laughed, he had already forgotten the offense and that was so like Robert to laugh off being hit in the face as long as he felt he deserved it.

"I live for her." Eddard answered at last making both the other men glance at each other in awe Ned Stark was not a poetic man, and he did not say things because they sounded pretty he must have meant it.

Jon noticed Roberts sullen face, Lyanna should have been their with them, this should be a joyous occasion celebrating the birth of Eddard's child but instead they were going to war. Jon patted Roberts shoulder shaking him from his thoughts.

"To you, your Dornish bride, your babe, and the one you plan to put in her!" Robert laughed toasting his horn of ale making them raise there's as well.

"Come men, lets talk about our plans, quickly Eddard has other better engagements tonight!" Jon said with a smile.

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 **Had to throw in a little sweet stuff for Eddard and Elia. It's gonna get a little rough soon... Thanks for reading please leave me a comment!**


	9. The Queen of disappointment

**I just want to thank everyone for reading it and all the amazing comments I have gotten on this story I love that some of you seem really into it! Please keep letting me know what you think! Enjoy this chapter!**

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Rhaella sighed frustrated. Everything had been blundered at every move. Rhaegar abandoned his rightful wife and angered men of all religion he was once a beloved prince and now he was hated as his father, his father who killed the last chance of bringing the Stark's to heel.

Rhaegar had been with his stark girl, her youth and will that once have excited him had already annoyed him, she was now childish and brazen. Finally, he left dragonstone to come to a small council meeting. Rhaella wanted to know what was going on, Aerys had cut himself enough for one day and retired so she took Viserys to the small council meeting she sat against the wall with the boy on her lap saying she only wanted him to learn how it all worked.

"DORNE BETRAYED US THEY WILL SEND US NO MEN!" Jon Connington said as though it was such a betrayal, Rhaella had to try not to roll her eyes, getting rid of Elia was as insulting as it was stupid Dorne would never forgive the slight.

"Well they are no longer at the Vale, Robert Baratheon is trying to get the Stormlands back."

"With Lord Stark?" Maester Pycelle asked.

"No, he has left the vale and is heading north, not without impregnanting the princess again." Viserys said Rhaella smirked she had no idea where this barren business came from Rhaegar just wanted to remarry, she saw the whole thing Elia got pregnant on her wedding night and after Rhaenys was born Elia was unwell for half a year and she was sure the next time Rhaegar visited her they had Aegon, Elia had proven as fertile as a flower and it made Rhaegar look foolish, he had the maester at Dragonstone beheaded on hearing of her first child. She looked at her Eldest son to see what he would do know.

His jaw buckled, and his hands grabbed the table so hard his knuckles were white.

She stared at him she loved him so much, more then herself, he was pulled from her little body before her 13th nameday and for so long he was her only happiness. She saw the warning signs this time with Aerys they blamed it on illness or an unpleasant mood, but she was losing her son to the same madness of his father. Not that she ever loved Aerys, he was a terrible brother and a worse husband.

Aerys had smiled at her when Rhaegars first wife was married off though she gave him two children and swore they were still legitimate he just didn't want her anymore. Aerys smiled at her because all her duty and blood and sacrifice were going to be for nothing when at best he married her off at worst killed her. Rhaegar didn't even seem to notice how much he put her in danger or maybe he just didn't care. Thankfully everything went to shit before Aerys had the chance.

"It's sorcery or a trick!" Jon Connington loyally said.

Nobody could admit they underestimated Elia Martell.

"Lord hand go back to the Stormlands, I am making you the new lord Paramount you will kill Robert, if my cousin is dead he can no longer he my-" Rhaegar started but stopped for a moment remembering himself. "father's throne."

Jon nodded leaving to gather his men.

"I want the rest of our army readied I will not let them come to our gates." He said but the time to be a gallant prince was over.

"We right Tywin Lannister with a proposal!" He said.

"What kind of proposal my prince?" Varys asked worried.

"Marriage, I will leave Lyanna Stark for Cersei if he agrees to come to our side!" He said and Rhaella shut her eyes, Tywin was a smart man he would never go for such a thing not after to living women were discarded his daughter would not be the third.

She got up taking Viserys hand in hers. "Come my love." She said walking out with all the grace she had held onto after everything Aerys put her through, after everything Rhaegar was putting her through.

"Where are you going!" Rhaegar snapped she looked back at him with a cold stare.

"Son-" She started but he snapped.

"I am to be addressed as your majesty!" He barked at his own mother.

"I do not want my son to see his brother reduced to this, your majesty." She said and left not caring about the consequences.

She was not surprised when he burst into her rooms later, she was at her vanity and did not turn around to look at him instead kept applying the powdered to the marks on her cheek.

"You realize it is us vs them and our survival depends on winning? I don't have time for in fighting!"

"You realize you lost the day you put her, aside don't you?" Rhaella asked and he was speechless. She turned around to look at him. "I loved her did you know that? Did you know she held me on the floor of this very room for my last three miscarriages?"

"But….you haven't miscarried since before Viserys." Rhaegar said softly he wasn't even married to her then.

"No I have, she just covered them up, she was raised as royaly as you but when I was in need she cleaned the blood off the marble like a servant she wrapped up your brothers and sister and we buried them in the garden, she did all that so Aerys would not beat me for my failure. She was kind, and brave and smart and you left her to die in the cold."

Rhaegar didn't know what to say to her. "I didn't think-"

"I know you didn't think, not when you crowned Lyanna Stark, not when you married off the woman everyone knows is your wife, not when you kidnapped and rapped a 14 year old girl!" Rhaella yelled she was shaking with rage it all finally just built up and she could take it no more not for another second.

"It was not rape, we were married."Rhaegar said horrified.

"So was I to your father, it changes nothing. You disgust me Rhaegar truly you are my biggest disappointment." She said her words stung like knives.

"Don't you understand if I lose so do you, we will all lose our heads even Viserys."

"NO!" Rhaella said furiously shaking her head. "Not my boy, Elia will never let them kill my son." Rhaella assured.

"So, you've chosen her over me? Pathetic!" Rhaegar spat.

"You remind me so much of your father." She said softly a tear falling from her face.

Before he knew what happened he struck her and was horrified he ran out of the room.

Rhaella picked herself up like she had so many times and told herself to wear it with honor like all the others.

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 **Yikes that was a bummer to write. It was inevitable though. Thank you so much for reading an please let me know what you think!**


	10. Justice is in Short Supply

**Hi guys! Thanks for reading this story I am so happy with how many of you leave awesome thought and feelings about the story! I love it so much! Please leave me a comment on what you think!**

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Robert Baratheon got his lands under order at the battle of Summerhall and was making quite a name for himself, Randell Tarly beat him near the border of the Reach and he then moved to join his northern forces, Jon Connington came for him and wanted to fight him in single combat in the battle of the bells with all the glory that would come from it. He searched the city and put captives in crow cages but all of that took far to long.

Eddard Stark and Jon Arryn came with their armies and the Royalist army was beaten but Jon Connington did not retreat, he wanted to kill Robert for the reward his house would get the Stormlands were a worthy prize to die for. He would have or died trying if Jon Arryn hadn't stopped him.

"He is the hand of the king he is worth more alive then dead." Jon Ayrrn reminded Robert who wanted to kill him and send him back to Rhaegar. "We will send him back to the vale Deny's can keep him for us."

"Make sure he is not put in a sky cell, he would jump for his prince." Eddard said.

"Well if it isn't lord Stark-wait no! Apologies I forgot that title was given to a baby that could not lift it's head up, over you." Jon Connington sneered.

Eddard didn't care he maybe the acting Lord of house Stark but he would never take Robb's birth right away from him, he was Brandons only son and he would protect him at the cost of his own life, he would bring to justice the men who murdered Robb's father.

"You know, someday that boy will be as strong as his father, and when he asks me why he never knew his father your name will come up." Jon Connington was one of the many men who did nothing when his family was murdered by the mad king.

"Did they tell you about it, regent Stark? Your brother demanded a trail by combat and when your father was desperate, he did the same. The fools didn't know fire is the champion of house Targaryen." Jon Connington said, and Eddard had to be restrained from attacking him.

"Your fathers scorch mark is still on the floor the king likes it too much to let it be cleaned away! And your broken brother -" Jon Connington started but was gagged and pushed away he was trying to get the stark boy to kill him it was better then torture.

"After the war I want him sent to the wall!" Ned said seriously as the former hand of the king was dragged away.

Jon Ayrrn put his hand on Eddards shoulder. "He will get his Justice, don't you worry about that."

He was moved into the night by a small force of soldiers but there was no need for a large garrison as they were moving the hand back across their own lands.

Jon went back to command while his love-struck surly boys took a moment, Robert took out his raven scrolls to read over old words that gave him the strength to move forward. Eddard had that little pouch he kept tied around his neck he kissed it as Robert would often catch him doing.

"Who wrote those scrolls Robert? What do they say?" Eddard finally asked.

"Who gave you that pouch? Whats in seven hells is in it?" Robert said back they both had been secretive or maybe just quiet. "I hope not your balls as it is a rather small bag." Robert added.

"I will share if you do." Ned told him.

"Alright I will agree to that, after you Stark." Robert said.

Aegon opened it up showing him the difffrent locks. "It's my children's hair, Elia gave it to me before I left for good luck." Eddard said.

"You really consider the Targaryens _your children_?" Robert asked he had about enough of Targaryen's of late. He did not know how Eddard could claim children related to the man who murdered his family.

"Their more mine then Rhaegars." Eddard told him, and Robert thought he seemed offended. "I'm the one Rhaenys calls for when she has a bad dream, I'm the one who she knows will keep her safe. I'm the one she wants to pick her up and toss her in the air. I'm the one who bounce Aegon on his knee, I've watched him grow, say his first words, take his first steps, I'm the person he tried to walk to and I'm the person who picked him up when he fell. They are my children Robert!" Eddard told him.

"I'm sorry Ned, I just thought it was for love of her."

"I love all of them. Elia, Rhaenys, Aegon, Mariah, our new one. They are all my family." Ned said. Robert patted his back.

"Whose letters are those Robert?" Ned finally asked after a moment.

"Your sisters." Robert told him with a sad smile. "Lyanna would write me about what happened about what we should do, sometimes about our marriage." He said, and Ned watched it bring a smile to my face. "You know she is a better writer then me, by half. She would always use these adjectives to describe me. Kind, good, smart, forgiving, brave, I don't know if any of it's true, but she made me feel like I was all those things." Robert Admitted.

"You are all those things Robert, even if you don't always show it. " Robert smiled.

"You are regent until Brandons boy grows of age."

"After everything that's happened we can wait on the marriage or even forget about it if you-" Eddard said knowing they would always be brothers blood or not.

"No! It changes nothing." Robert promised. "Except that I am going to kill Rhaegar Targaryen and make her feel safe again. I will marry her, I will love her, and I need you to make sure it all goes through Ned." Robert said seriously.

"We will all get through this and be happy and at peace." Eddard said even if it was just a hope.

At the keep Elia was starting to show and she was holding Mariah as she watched Rhaenys and Aegon play she was happy to see them so happy, Aegon talked more and more each day and asked more and more where Ned had gone. Well papa as he had decided to call him maybe he saw all the other children saying goodbye to their papas and Aegon wanted one too, but she decided not to correct it, he deserved a papa like Ned.

The door opened and he she watched his little head turn excitedly only to be disappointed he kept thinking Ned would walk through that door.

"Good morning Lady Elia." Denys Ayrrn said, and Elia smiled he was a kind courteous young man.

"Hello good Ser, have you any news from Ned?" Elia asked him.

"No, sorry my lady. Uncle Jon told me a prisioner was coming to be questioned and held for ransom, I just received word from the bloody gate of his arrival. Do you know the Lord Hand?" Denys asked. "Lord Connington." He said specifically as it seemed Aerys was struggling to keep them these days.

Elia froze, he was one of Rhaegars closest friends he would be a good prisoner, Aerys would not care but Rhaegar would and he would work hard to keep his dear friend alive. "Rhaegar loves him, he is a good hostage." She told him, and he nodded while Jon Ayrrn was away Denys was in charge of the Vale and Elia liked him very well, he was good and often would ask her advice on many matters.

"Would you like to come down and see him, it will still be awhile till they make it to the Eyrie, I could have my wife watch your children for you." He told her.

"That is sweet, I hope you do not mind if I decline, Jon Connington has never been a friend of mine and I do not believe absence has made him any fonder." She told him, Jon never thought she was good enough to marry him and now she did not want to have to stand his hatred now.

"Of course, my lady, I swear to you I would never let him or anyone diminish your great character in front of me." He told her and she smiled.

"How is you boy?" She asked.

"He is…..small." Denys admitted worry on his face as he looked at the strong plump baby in Elia's arms.

"I am sure he will grow strong, Aegon and Rhaenys were both small babies and look at them now." She said looking at her children playing with wooden figures on the ground.

"Thank you, my lady. Your kindness is always refreshing in such a harsh world." Denys said before going.

She let the children play until it was time for their nap and she laid them all down in the nursery she watched them sleep for a bit, Mariahs brown hair was messy curles but Elia saw more of Eddard in their daughter every day. She quietly waved at Denys wife who was with her own babe just watching him breath. Alysanne gave her a weak smile back.

Elia went back to her rooms trying to untie her dress she felt like she could barely breath, maybe she was growing more then she thought. She heard her door open and didn't bother turning to face the maid.

"Your northern dresses are tight, or I am getting bigger much sooner than last time, I already excused my handmaiden for the afternoon could you help me?" She asked she heard the steps coming towards her and they sounded heavier than they should have, she turned to see a knight of the Vale in her room in full armor he just kept walking towards her as she backed away.

"Get out!" She demanded like the princess she was in Dorne. "I will Tell Lord Denys of this he will not be happy."

She said but he kept moving forward Denys was not a scary man. "I will Tell Jon Ayrrn of your insolence he will have you thrown from the moon door or worse!" She said he did not stop, and she felt her back hit the wall.

"My husband will-" She started but he cut her off.

"Do not be alarmed." The knight said. "Your husband is here." He told her taking off his Eyrie helm and tossing it aside to show that long silver hair handsome face and purple eyes she once adored but now they shook her to her very core.

"R-rhaegar." She said not believing he was there, not knowing how he could be here.

"I missed you to Elia." He said with a gentle smile he either did not notice or did not care how scared she was.

"How?" She asked finally.

"We knew when Jon was taken he would be brought back north as prisoner a small force of us were able to take the vale men, we had to except their surrender and take their armor before killing them so that the stolen armor would not get bloody in battle."

"Not very valiant of you." Elia said horrified to hear of those poor men and their deaths.

"They stood between me and my wife." He said with a thoughtless shrug.

"I am not your wife anymore Rhaegar! Remember you gave me away." Elia said.

"We both made mistakes." He told her reaching out for her, but she hit him away until he over powered her easily enough his hands pressed her arms against the wall hard.

"GUARDS! HELP!" She screamed.

"Arthur and Jon and the rest of their men are handling the skeleton crew that is not off to war." Rhaegar said reinforcements would come but they would be too late.

Tears went down her eyes. "Your mad!" She cried.

"Ssshhh ssshhhh sshhh." He soothed taking her into his arms she wiggled and fought but he just held her tightly through her struggled. "I am not mad Elia." He told her softly. "Just disappointed."

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 **I will leave you with that until next time. I know Denys dies in battle of the bells but I decided to leave him home at the vale for this. Technically the bloody gate did not fail or anything they just pretended to be Eyrie men and got through. If that upsets you, sorry. I hope you enjoyed reading let me know what you think! Thanks again!**


	11. Women and Children

**Two warnings: Rhaegar is loco and this chapter is rather intense and has dark elements to it.**

 **This was the roughest chapter to write so i'd appreciate knowing what you guys think of it. Again Rhaegar fans will hate me for this but he is obviously mad in this story. (And for leaving Elia but that might be me being biased.) Thank you SO Much for reading I hope you enjoy and I'm sorry for the sadness.**

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"GET OFF OF ME!" She cried he kept trying to sooth her with his touch, but it only disturbed her more, finally he pushed her into a chair giving up.

"Everyone agrees that Lyanna is not my wife. That the gods are cursing us until I return to you." He said as if he was not the one who had sent her away.

"Everyone agrees on what you tell them too agree on." She scowled back like they all agreed he could marry Lyanna when he told them they agreed with it.

"I think she is barren." He told her as though it was the worst thing she could be.

"She is a little girl Rhaegar." Elia said softly. "Let her go. She is probably terrified."

"They turned me against you, all of them it was never me Elia." Rhaegar said avoiding the blame as always. "Lyanna cannot do anything I have to do all the work at Dragonstone." He said.

Now she knew where Lyanna was she would have to live long enough to tell Eddard. She felt her baby kick and it made her want to cry.

"You are the prince of Dragonstone it is your duty." She said simply.

"Yes but you used to do all of that." Rhaegar whined as the door opened and the maester came in Elia could see the red circles under his eyes from crying and he looked like he still might. Jon Connington followed him in he seemed a little bewildered she wondered if it was his change of luck or his prince's attitude that scared him.

"Maestor Edrin are you alright?" Elia asked he was a dear friend and great maestor he pulled Mariah from her and she almost forgot about her troubles seeing him in such a state he trembled as he walked to Rhaegar handing him the cup.

"Thank you." Rhaegar said before putting it infront of her. "Drink it." He said kindly if it were a suggestion, but she knew it was not. She looked at the maester with his widened eyes and then back at the cup she picked it up and the maestor couldn't stop himself from crying out. "NO!"

"Hit him!" Rhaegar commanded and Jon did without hesitation. "Come on my wife, do it for your love of me." He said.

She moved the cup up and did exactly what she planned to do smashing the moon tea against the floor.

"I am not your wife and I do not love you!" she told him, and he growled.

"That is just his baby telling you that! IF I WAS NOT SUCH A GOOD HUSBAND I WOULD MAKE YOU LICK IT UP FROM THE FLOOR!" He told her angry. "Make more!" He yelled at the maestor.

"I am afraid I am out of supplies for moon tea." He said obviously lied.

"Never lie to me! Hit him again!" Rhaegar commanded.

"Stop! Please he is just an old man!" Elia told Rhaegar as the door opened again.

"I could not find the children." Arthur said. "What is going on?" He asked.

"WHERE ARE THEY!" Rhaegar yelled at Elia who stayed quite until he shook her.

"In Winterfell, we sent the children there for safety." Elia lied.

"Your lying!" Rhaegar said but he wasn't quite sure.

"I am not.

"We need to go we cannot hold the Vale forever!" Arthur said.

"We are plenty safe we have Denys captive, we have Elia all will be fine." Jon Connington promised.

"If we don't leave while we can they could make it impossible to do so!" Arthur said.

"We will not have another opportunity to get back in, my son is here I know it! Find him, and his little wife." He said meaning Rhaenys.

"What about the Stark bastard?"

Rhaegar put his hand to his chin thinking he turned to look out the Eyrie window.

"It's only a baby Rhaegar." Arthur told him.

"It's a insult Rhae, it's better to be done with it." Jon connington said simply. "I saw Eddard at the battle of the bells. He wanted to send me to the wall, he said someday Brandon Stark's son would come for us all. What do you think he's going to want his own child to do." Jon said he looked back at him angered by Eddards words.

"She is just a baby she can do you no harm she is just a girl!" Elia said hoarse she went to Rhaegar. "Show mercy Rhaegar!" she begs him grabbing her arm he only looks at her dully.

"Find and kill the baby Arthur, its an act of mercy." Rhaegar said turning away already over the decision he made as though it was a simple little thing of no consequence.

"NO NO!" Elia cried she grabbed Arthurs arm as he turned to leave. "ON YOUR HONOR AS A KNIGHT! ON YOUR HONOR AS A DORNISHMAN DON'T DO THIS ARTHUR PLEASE"

"The proud Dornish princess begs does she?" Jon mocked.

"For my childrens lives I gladly would." She said but she didn't turn away from Arthur. "You are a good man their will be no coming back from this!" She told him and saw the horror in his eyes.

"Ser Arthur I gave you and order." Rhaegar reminded dully.

She was grabbing his arm trying to keep him from leaving. "Please she is just a baby please!" She cried looking at Arthurs eyes he was once a good man she was unsure if he was anymore.

He looked at her and then looked to Rhaegar trying to tell help her.

"Rhaegar tell him to STOP, if you have ever loved me?"

"And why would I do that?" Rhaegar asked sitting down putting his feet up on the table.

She stood tall holding her stomach please and asking for mercy would do nothing with this mad man."

"Because when I get pregnant with your daughter, I will kill myself and your child if you kill mine." She told him his eyes flickered up at her.

"You wouldn't."

"You truly do not know me if you believe that Rhaegar." She was disgusted with the very idea of him touching her much less impregnating her forcing his child on her.

"And if I let your bastard live, you will comply?" Rhaegar asked.

Her heart slowed. She only nodded her head.

"Fine. Arthur find the children for now the bastard lives. Jon go help the maestor make moon tea, Elia is willing to drink it now." Rhaegar informed she shut her eyes to keep from crying she was going to murder her child to protect her child.

Rhaegars knights leave him and it is just them in the room. Elia could never over power Rhaegar but she just had to surprise him, if she could find something and cut his throat before he had time to react she could be rid of him, maybe with his death she could free Arthur of his bond to him, unlikely but worth a try. As she looked around the room she only moved a step before he motioned for her to sit next to him. She does because she has to. Soon Arthur comes back with the children hers as well as Alys and her sickly baby. Alys is in tears.

"Beautiful." Rhaegar remarks seeing Jon Ayrrns niece and she truly was.

Arthur put Mariah in Elia's arms who held her close to her breast "Come to me children!" She said and Aegon did with out question. He climbed up to sit on his mothers knee but Rhaenys starred at the white haired man like she knew him from a dream.

He paid little attention to Aegon or Rhaenys instead he stared at Mariah.

"Ugly little thing isn't she." He said.

"Be nice to my baby!" Aegon told him he was only a toddler himself but would not let someone make fun of his sister, he was good.

Rhaegar grabbed Aegon by his white hair he cried I screamed, and Arthur said "Stop!" Before he could stop himself.

"You are to protect the royal family!" Rhaegar spat.

"He is apart of royal family, he is your own son!" Arthur reminded.

"Is he?" Rhaegar asked letting him go as he was kicking and hitting at Rhaegar.

I pulled him protectively into my arms and Rhaenys looked horrified going to my side.

"Or has Stark ruined him?" He asked he pulled him from me as I screamed and now Mariah was crying at the commotion.

"Leave my mommy alone!" Aegon yelled as his own father stood holding him up by his shirt collar.

"RHEAGAR STOP THIS!" I yelled standing trying with my free hand to grab Aegon from him.

He seemed to not hear a word. "I think we must start a new." He told me before throwing my son out the open window and my screams must have filled the Eyrie. Ser Arthur caught Aegon as he was in the window frame and had to pull him back in.

"I thought we were friends Arthur!" He sounded angry but he remembered Alys was in the room as she started to ball uncontrollably because we were not even being held captive by decent men like her husband like my Ned. Rhaegar smiled looking at her putting her hand to her side.

"I won't let you murder your son, cursed is the kinslayer." Arthur said.

"So you were just looking out for me?" Rhaegar asked suspiciously. Then he forgot him all together feeling up Alys breasts making her cry more. "you are even more beautiful when you cry, the perfect wife." Rhaegar said simply.

"Leave her alone!" I told him.

"Jealousy does not become you Elia." He said.

Jon Connington burst in with the moon tea I was worried not seeing the Maestor with him.

"I will have Jon bash you bastards head in!" Rhaegar told Eli when she hesitated to drink it tears falling down her face as she did.

Rhaegar took Alys away from her sick child as he raped her my eyes closed, Elia held her son in one arm and Mariah in the other. Aegon laid in her lap he had a terrible bruise where his leg had hit the wall when he was thrown he whimpered lightly Rhaenys clutched her mother's arm.

Jon came bursting into the room. "GET UP!" He told Elia astounding her.

"RHAEGAR!" He called into the other room Soon enough Rhaegar appeared in the door way.

"I've just gotten the old man to confess he said he got word out of the Vale to the rebels, and men from the bloody gate are coming."

"Come Elia, leave all children that aren't mine." Rhaegar said but he turned to Ser Arthur for what to do.

"We will need to take Denys as a hostage they will let us pass with them, but we need to take a less traveled path, the snow path I would suggest but it is dangerous." Arthur admitted.

"Fine, come Elia." Rhaegar said but she stayed seated.

"Wait." Arthur said. "I cannot wield a sword and more then Denys as a hostage, my prince you're too valuable to focus on anything other then climbing. Jon cannot carry them all. "

"What about the other men."

"They will be slaughtered your grace." Arthur admitted this seemed all for not like Rhaegar broke in to cause turmoil and would be leaving having done so Elia just wanted him gone.

Rhaegar looked at us and Elia kept her eyes down not wanting to antagonize him somehow.

"Elia it is time we said fair well come here my sweet." He said. She handed Alys boy to Rhaenys and her bigger baby Mariah sat in the chair next to Rhaenys before going to him just wanting him gone.

He kissed her lips and then to her surprise he smacked Elia across the face and pulled her to look up at him. "Never let another man touch you again. Send me a raven when the bastard in your belly dies." Rhaegar said. She felt blood on her cheek from cut of Rhaegar' s rings. She only nodded hoping never to hear or see him again.

"Jon take Aegon." He said swiftly and it hurt much worse. "No, you cannot have him he is mine!" She screamed she had no weapons but clawed and hit and screamed and bit Jon until he threw her down and grabbed her only son.

"Y-you said he was ruined give him, you don't want him back to me!" she despertly begged. Ser Arthur closed his eyes it was hard for him to see a Martell princess like this, to see her like this.

"He will have to do until one of my wives give me a good son." He said simply.

"I loved you once!" Elia croaked as they were about to walk out from where she laid on the floor. "I truly did and now there is nothing left of you to be saved." She said Rhaegar snarled assuming she was talking to him, but Arthur knew better and wanted to fall on his own sword Dawn in that moment.

They were gone what was left of the guards and the reinforcements searched for them, but they escaped the Eyrie they used Denys to get past the bloody gate and then they killed him.

The good maestor was dead and it would be awhile till one came from the cidital so two neighboring holdfasts sent theirs to help with the many wounded. One of the maestors told Elia from the mon tea and the strain of my body both physically and mentally she would lose the baby she carried. It mattered not now but Eddard said he would be happy with either, but Elia told him it was a boy she was sure and now he was gone both of her sons were lost.

It was Elia who went to the broken girl who still laid flatly on her bed and handed Alys her son reminding her of the good in her life, but she soon heard her husband was murdered he was good, and kind and he didn't deserve his horrible end. Soon after him his son died and Alys jumped out of the moon door with her dead son in her arms.

She as happy Mariah never had to remember this, and she prayed Rhaenys would forget as it was, she had to have essence of nightshade to sleep. Elia could not sleep without both of her daughters in her arms in a bolted room with guards she trusted outside and even then, she cried herself to sleep thinking of Aegon.

Eddard and Jon heard all that happened and raged my own brothers raged and they were going to kill the prince in the riverlands but his army from Jon Connington was coming by boat so he would not be alone and the Tyrells came from the south. I begged Eddard to save my son in every scroll I sent. Jon Ayrrn wrote me assuring me he had never seen Eddard this enraged and was sure that this battle would end with Rhaegars death.

Months went and her stomach grew she never bled out the babe like they said she would, now they told Elia it would be born stillborn so she would not get her hopes up. In truth she already knew, she could no longer feel the baby kicking.

She was told the Armys were days from meeting when she felt a pain. she thanked the gods it was not a long agonizing birth like herothers but fairly quick lasting only three hours and she laid back on the pillow once it was over closing her eyes to stop the tears. "Just send it to Winterfell to have it burried." She said she did not want to see her dead babe. It was horrible enough knowing Aegon was out there with Rhaegar who already tried to throw him out a window.

Suddenly Elia heard a loud scream and her eyes snapped open to see the new Maestor holding her baby who was squirming and screaming.

"Bile was stuck in his throat but now he is fine, listen to those lungs. He is a boy" He said he gave him to a midwife to clean but Elia watched her baby carefully not wanting to blink and miss a second of him.

They put him in Elia's arms he was all Dornish in look he was dark brown with jet black hair he had a long face and Eddards noes but Elia was certain he was all Dornish she wanted to call him Lorenzo after her father, but she remembered he was not just hers he belonged to Eddard to.

"I cannot decide on a name." She admitted happily.

"It would be alright to wait." The maestor said softly she looked up at him.

"He is small, and he may not last the night" He said.

"I don't like how warm he is." A midwife said.

"When I checked his eyes were glossy." Another said.

Elia didn't care after all this baby survived in her, he was a fighter like his father and uncles. He would live she was sure of it.

She asked the Maester to tell her Northern names. She had never thought the child would live to need a name. He only knew a handful and she then decided to name him from one of the very few she had known.

"Torrhen Stark, you are the best thing to happen to me in a long time." She told her squealing baby as she put him to her breast to feed. "Send a raven to Eddard Stark. Tell him his son was born stubborn and refuses to die. Tell him everything is going to be well." Elia said wanting that more then anything.

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 **It least we ended on a happy note! Right? It was very tempting to have Arthur kill him in this chapter but I wanted Eddard and Rhaegar to meet on the field.**


	12. The Metal of Men

**Hey guys ! Thanks so much for reading this story! Please let me know what you think!**

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"Eddard." Jon called making him look up from his sword as he cleaned it. "News from home!" Jon declared and Eddard went to him quickly, he had been informed the pregnancy would end in misery and thought this was news of it and his child's end. He opened it with only a little hesitation but when he saw the words, he read them again and again before pressing it to his heart. "I have a son!" He said with a smile. Jon hugged the young man he felt to be his own son. "Is he healthy?" Jon couldn't help but ask.

"Elia says he will live, I've never known my lady wife to be wrong." He said he had this anger within him that he never thought possible he hated Rhaegar for what he did but Ned also hated himself for not stopping it. He road like the devil forcing all his men to do the same and now they said they were close to Rhaegar's own lines they rested their horses and readied the men before the coming battle.

"I have to tell Oberyn!" He said off to find his good brother as soon as Eddard approached the Dornish men their prince leading them came out from his tent half dressed. "Have you heard from her?" Oberyn asked the worry on his face. Eddard tried not to pay attention to the several whores he could see in Oberyn's tent.

"She's recovering well, and she has given me a baby boy, Elia says he is strong, the maestor says he looks Dornish isn't that wonderful?!" Eddard told him and Oberyn smiled he was sure he never seen the northern man happier then now talking of Elia and her baby.

"I hope Rhaegar hears before we kill him." Oberyn smiled. The viper was so angry when he had heard what happened which was not a surprise but the fact that Eddard's own rage rivaled it was a surprise to the older Dornishman and in the time he had spent with him he started to truly respect his sisters' new husband.

"I just want him dead, I will kill him for what he has done, but we have to find Aegon." Eddard said.

Eddard went to tell Robert his good news perhaps it would cheer him up, he counted everyday Lyanna was gone and she had now been away for so long he wondered how much of her was left.

He was going to Roberts tent and could hear him and Jon Ayrrn.

"Perhaps the boy's disappearance is best." Robert said.

"Aegon is a child, Ned is torn up about his disappearance how could you say that?" Jon asked

"Because as long as he lives he will be an option for the throne." Robert said.

Ned walked in. "You would kill my boy Robert?" Eddard asked.

"People will want him for the iron throne." Robert said.

"It belongs to him doesn't it by right?" Eddard asked.

"We are called rebels for a reason Ned." Robert reminded.

"Would the North back his claim?" Jon asked curious.

Ned had thought of nothing more then going home to Winterfell with all four of his children and Elia and they would help raise Robb as Lord of Winterfell and they would be home and safe and only thought of it now that it was brought up and he realized Aegon and Rhaenys would not really be safe hidden in the North not when everyone knew who they were and they would always have a target on their backs and others would want to use them for their own gain. Now he had to make a choice.

"Rhaegar and Aerys crimes are not Aegon's, he will be raised to be better by Elia I know he will. On behalf of my brother's son I will raise our banners for Aegon, so will Dorne." Eddard said knowingly he did not like to speak for other men, but he knew it to be true.

"So, will the vale." Jon said to both the younger men's surprise. "Alys was my dear sister Alysanne's only living daughter. I Loved my sister as much as you love yours Eddard, just as much as Oberyn loves Elia. I was thrilled when Alys married Denys he was a good kind boy truly. Rhaegar killed them its true. He disgraced Alys and left her with nothing and her blood is on his hands. But Alys wrote me that it Elia herself cared for Alys after…..what transpired. Elia was trying to help her but the loss of Alys's baby was to much for her. I still owe Elia a great death and I would be happy to call her son my king and her my regent." Jon said.

Robert was quiet. "And if I disagree?"

"Then march your men home." Eddard said.

"And leave you to get to kill him, fuck that. To Aegon the 6th of his name." Robert agreed more for the fight then the boy. "I mean nothing against the kid Ned, I just want my Lyanna back. That being said if he turns out like his father and grandfather, I will kill him myself." Robbert said.

"You touch one hair on his head and-"Eddard started but Jon stopped them.

"Robert did you hear the happy news? Ned's son survived." Jon said changing the subject.

Roberts eyes widened Jon had told him that Elia had been forced to drink moon tea that she was pushed down and that many a woman lost her babies simply out of stress and Rhaegar had put Elia through great stress. They may not have gotten on well but he pitied the poor woman for her woes. "Really?" He asked Eddard breathlessly and Eddard smiled.

"He is called Torrhen. Elia says he is strong." Eddard couldn't mention him without smiling.

Robert embraced his friend. "Of course, he is look at his father and mother, he comes from strength!"

"They are coming! Prince Rhaegar is coming!" Was screamed throughout the war camp they raced to their horse.

"How far is he Hoster?" Eddard asked as they got ready.

"Five miles out." Hoster Tully said.

"Let's not wait for him to fight us in our tents lets bring the fight to him!" Eddard said and Jon nodded as their war horses lead the way Eddard was becoming the Leader he always tried to force Robert to be.

The two armies met at the trident.

"IF YOU FIND HIM PROTECT AEGON AT ALL COST!" Eddard told his men.

Soon the two armies ran down the hills into the valley and the trident itself fighting. Jon and Hoster commanded the army from behind Jon was old, and Hoster was still wounded from the battle of the bells watching from up on the hill. Eddard and Robert led their men fearlessly with the prince of Dorne who was quiet the warrior Eddard saw him spear two men through at once.

"I want to see my old friend Arthur!" Oberyn yelled over the battle fields roar. "I will ask him why before he meets his fate." Oberyn said soundly.

Ned focused on what was happening in front of him. Tyrell men he had nothing against they just happened to be on the wrong side of the war he took no pleasure in taking their lives but then he saw Rhaegars silver hair as his helm fell off.

Robert was closer and made quick movement to Rhaegar.

"Robert look out!" Eddard cried as Ser Selmy came barreling out of the battle to protect his prince. Robert had knocked the prince off his war horse having lost his own but Ser Selmy the bold was another story and it took all Robert had to keep himself alive. Rhaegar walked towards them with his sword like an excursioner. Eddards horse took an arrow in the leg and Eddard was lucky not to have been trapped under him. He now had to fight through the mud and the blood to get into the water standing between Rhaegar and Robert who was still fighting ser selmy.

"You look older then you did at Winterfell." Rhaegar said the casual statement shocked Ned but he did not tell him that Winterfell felt like a lifetime ago.

"Where is my son?" Eddard barked.

Rhaegar shrugged. "In seven hells I assume, she lost the babe, didn't she?" Rhaegar asked but a smile slide onto his pale lips. Eddard attacked the prince struggled to meet the northerners hard fast sword thrusts.

"My babe lived." Eddard said as he pushed his and Rhaegar's own sword towards him. Rhaegar scowled in disappointment. Torrhen lived despite Rhaegar's best efforts and Eddard would never forget it or forgive it. "Where is AEGON!"

Rhaegar drew back and pivoted away from Eddards grasp trying to get behind him and strike but Eddard turned quick enough to defend the blow. As they traded positions Eddard could seen Ser Selmys Sword had been lost but he had taken advantage of Robert being knocked back into the water and was trying to drowned him, Roberts arms and legs kicked like a pinned bear making the water splash so hard Rhaegar and Eddard could feel its splatter down river from them.

"OBERYN!" Eddard called. The Dornish Prince was getting close to them. "HELP ROBERT!" He called he saw his brother in law sigh but also no man ever moved so fast kicking ser Selmy off Robert chest and Robert came up breathing for the first time in three minutes.

Eddard had to focus on Rhaegar as the prince swung at him Eddard moved and Rhaegar slide in the water but quickly turned to see his enemy. "I never wanted this, to be a warrior, I just wanted to save the world." Rhaegar said in an odd moment of clarity.

"That doesn't make up for all you've wronged!" Eddard said.

Their sword crashed against each other again and again. Rhaegar had grace and beauty in every move of the sword. Eddard fought with less pedigree he fought how he was trained to, to kill his enemies. Never before in a war was their such anger in his eyes he never hated any of the men he killed but he hated this man this horrible prince and what sense Rhaegar had left told him to be afraid of this quiet wolf with wild eyes. He was doing this for his family he thought of Elia who would never rest soundly until Rhaegar was dead, until he could never threaten her children again.

Rhaegar was also used to stopping when he got tired, when Eddard got tired Brandon and Rodrick would exclaim to bad and have him fight through being tired or cold or swore. Rhaegars polished sword play was getting rusty has the trident ran under their feet. And suddenly their was the opening Rhaegar raised his sword leaving himself exposed. Eddards own sword met Rhaegars his feet were planted as he struck hard against the Valyrian who lost his footing in the sloppy stance and was knocked by the force of Eddards swing the prince stumbled and fell back into the water Eddard took the opportunity stepping on Rhaegars sword hand making the prince let go of his sword with a yelp. Rhaegar was down into the water it only rose to the prince's breast plate where they were in the shallows.

"Where is Aegon!" Eddard asked ignoring the cheer and hollers and screams around them.

Rhaegar just pouted he had lost his kingdom and his life and could only pout. "You ruined him, he is weak." Rhaegar mutter Eddard had no time for this he grabbed the princes silver hair and pulled him under before letting him up again. "Where is Aegon!" He yelled again the prince could not believe the northernmans gull. Eddard somewhat noticed Rickard Kartark, Greatjon Umber and his friend Howland Reed fellow Northernmen keeping any who would aid the prince away from them.

Eddard dunked Rhaegar Again he was terrified Rhaegar in his madness left Aegon somewhere dangerous. "Stop it!" Rhaegar whined. "I thought you were a respectable man!" Rhaegar spat.

"It scares me what I am willing to do for that boy!" Eddard yelled.

"He is being taken to Highgarden." Rhaegar said Eddard only looked at Karstark and Greatjon who nodded getting on horses.

"Thank you!" Eddard said he looked around seeing the war was all but over he got off the princess hand who had long since let go of his sword. He held the prince by his hair and knocking his head against a rock letting him go he knocked the prince out and if he had not pulled him out Rhaegar would have drowned in the river.

Eddard killed three more men while dragging Rhaegars limp body but the grown was littered with body's and smarter men were retreating the royalist army was broken up.

"Why is he alive!" Robert bellow.

"Because we still don't know where Lyanna is besides he was weaponless after he told me where Aegon was, I can't kill an unarmed man, he will have to be tried." Eddard said simply dropping Rhaegar on the grass.

"Tie him up Ethan." Eddard told Ethan Glover who nodded.

"The Tyrell host surrendered but they will make rescue attempts for their prince. If they find out he's alive, gag him and tie him up in a tent." Jon ordered.

"I have to go get Aegon." Eddard said breathlessly they had been at this for hours.

"Rest your men will bring the boy to you." Robert told him.

Eddard shock his head. "He doesn't know them he will be scared." Eddard said going to his horse.

"Wait Ned. Your good brother is missing." Jon told him and Eddard went out himself to help with the search first he was looking for him then he started doing as others and looking for bodies on the ground. He went back to where he saw him last by the river and went farther down the river when he heard whistling of the Dornishmans wife. As he got closer, he heard another voice ask.

"Are you the dornishman?"

"No, I am the man tasting other mens wives." Oberyn laughed Eddard found him and oldly enough Ser selmy whom he thought had killed each other seeing they nearly did just that battered and bloody Oberyn was holding a large gash on his lower torso trying to keep his blood and guts where they should be as he was trying to help Ser selmy to his feet but he had a nasty leg and could barely move at all. Both men looked like they had fought an army alone.

"Eddard thank the gods for you." Oberyn said as he got ser semy to stand with his arms wrapped around the Dornish prince to stay up.

"I suppose this means we won. Selmy and I were wondering whom was whose prisoner but if you did not find us I doubt it would have mattered long." Oberyn said.

"I NEED MAESTORS NOW!" Eddard yelled and they came running this was they could see their torches as the darkness crept onto the night sky.

Oberyn and Barristan talked as though they were friends instead of almost each other's murderers Oberyn insisted Barristan have his own Maestor and be cared for like a Dornish prince.

"You are the best man I've ever fought but to cocky." Ser selmy said when he was being bandaged. "I would have never been able to stab you if you had killed me three hours ago." Ser selmy said but when he saw Eddard coming to make sure Oberyn had made it when they were back in Oberyns tent he got very serious.

"Is it true Eddard, I wont believe another man alive but I believe nobody can doubt your honesty. Was he mad?" He asked.

"He was he tried to kill my children." Eddard told him and Ser selmy was very quiet at that Eddard let him rest and mourn the loss of the prince he loved going to Oberyn.

"W-what are you doing here?" Oberyn asked in pain but he refused his milk of the poppy.

"Elia wouldn't forgive me if I didn't make sure you were alright."

"Ned me and Selmy would be dead if you didn't find us in those weeds, you have already been a good good brother, go I know you want to more then anything!" Oberyn promised and with his approval Eddard road off and met Greatjon Umber, Howleen Reed, and Rickard Karstark and the meen they had taken only 45 in all wanting to move quickly and without too much notice.

They were headed back but Eddard looked at every man and could find Aegon nowhere.

"It's hardly safe running off into the night Stark, where are your men?" Howleen chided.

"Your lucky we are friends, or we'd be kicken your ass about now." Karstark laughed.

"W-where is Aegon did you not find him. Where is my son!" Eddard asked.

"Boy? Oh you mean this boy?" Great jon asked the big man moved his cloak side to show Aegon sitting in his lap they told him to stay under the cloak to keep himself warm, but they were more concerned about the boy being seen.

Eddard got off his horse going to him relieved.

"The real problem Greatjon is that your so fat nobody notices you smuggling a child under your cloak." Rickard Karstark laughed.

Eddard grabbed Aegon's head kissing it.

"Papa!" The boy cried simply, and Eddard wasn't going to correct him pulling him into his arms he held him tightly.

"I love you Aegon, I wont ever let anything bad happen to you ever again!" Ned swore to the little boy.

"I knew you would save me, I knew it." The little boy whispered to Eddard making him smile.

"I can keep him Eddard." Greatjon told him when he saw Eddard taking off his cloak to wrap the little three-year-old in.

Eddard thanked him but was happy to feel the wind as long as Aegon was in his arms and they road back to camp. Eddard wrote Elia immediately so she could Know he was safe as soon as possible.

Eddard had the boy looked over and rage swelled in his heart to see the bruises on the boy's shoulders arms and hands for being grabbed so tightly.

Then in Eddards tent he laid on the cot and just watched Aegon eat and felt a kind of nourishment he could not get from sleep or food watching his son eat and rest and be safe.

Jon Ayrrn called Eddard to a meeting in his tent with Robert, Hoster Tully, and a representing lord for Oberyn who was not well enough to come.

Eddard brought Aegon with him who refused to be parted from his and Eddard was happy to have it that way. As soon as the Dornishman Lord Blackmont saw Aegon he dropped to his knees and proclaimed him his kind and the others followed suit.

Most of the time the man talked and Aegon slept in Eddards arms wrapped in Eddard fur but when he woke was playful and wanted Eddards attention for his own.

"Boy, why don't you go to my tent my son sent me his favorite toy to keep me safe he's all but out grown such things why don't you go play with it." Lord Tully said.

Eddard looked concerned.

"Now Edddard calm he is a boy." Tully opened the tent spotting a Whent boy. "You, take the king to my tent." He told him patting Aegons head before sending him off.

"Thank the gods now we can really talk about that battle that was a blood fest!" Robert said. "The best thing I've ever seen was Rhaegar being pulled into the water by his pretty hair." Robert laughed but Eddard didn't hear any noise outside of a war camp where they just won a large victory nothing.

Eddard walked out followed by the other men to find Rhaegar escaped his bonds holding a small knife decorated with enough rubies to make Eddard think it was hidden on him. He had the knife to Aegon's throat who had tears streaming down his. "Papa!" He cried out to Eddard.

"I AM YOUR FATHER NOT HIM, I WILL REMIND YOUR DORNISHWHORE OF A MOTHER THAT AFTER WE LEAVE!" Rhaegar said he was only five steps away from Eddard as he was about to walk past Jon's tent to the horses and ride away to freedom.

"You will take him nowhere." Eddard told him. His sword was at his side, but he would never get it out in time. "I promised him I would never let anything harm him and I meant it." Eddard said evenly something wrong was in Rhaegars purple eyes his hair was wild curling from the river water and muddy and tangled He shook as he spoke, and Eddard thanked the gods the knife wasn't right to his throat.

Rhaegar moved forward with the boy. "Well I guess your not as honorable as everyone thought if you would lie to the boy are you!" Rhaegar said and he pointed the knife to Eddard as he talked Eddard did not waste a second grabbing the blade with his bare hand to keep it from Aegon the other hand pulling Aegon from Rhaegars grasp pushing him behind him but Aegon clinged to Eddards leg Jon grabbed the boy holding him close and covering his eyes. Just as Eddard turned the blade in on Rhaegar pulling it down and stabbing Rhaegar in the stomach. Both their hands stayed on the knife for a moment before Eddards bloody hand left the blade.

Rhaegar grabbed onto Edddard as he convulsed, at first he only felt the unbearable pain but it got worse as blood was coming out of his lips and his eyes wide realizing he was going to die instead of reign instead of save the world and everything he did hit him because now it could not be justified as means anymore it was now the ends.

Suddenly he could see it a clear as day that warm day when he was introduced to Elia and she was so young and happy and had been through no headache or pain their was so much light in her eyes, he had felt a tinge of pride when he realized this exotic beauty would be his, he adored her clever wit that he believed matched his own. "Elia." He breathed out and Eddard moved letting the prince fall on the ground without him holding him up. He had almost felt sorry for him until he brought Elia into it what right did, he have to mention her after everything he put her through! Rhaegar Targaryen died their alone on the ground.

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 **So this is a hardened by war Ned, I was trying to keep him very Honorable but also show how much he hates Rhaegar and show how much he loves his children and what he would do for them. I'm not great at writing battles so this took me sometime and I would love to hear what you think about it. I'd love to hear what you think about everything in this chapter I could really use the perspective. Thanks so much for reading!**


	13. Heavy is the Head

**_Please enjoy this chapter, thank you for reading it and please let me know what you think with a review I love reading them and hearing your thoughts and some of you are so funny and I really enjoy it. Thanks again for reading and please enjoy. P.s I am sorry for what i've done but I had my reasons. Lol this chapter brings good news and bad news. Please enjoy._**

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"It is too soon." The maestor told me he thought Torrhen still too little to move he had no idea Rhaegar moved Elia and Aegon just after she gave birth to him. Torrhen happily cued in Elia's arms.

"We will be fine, we are strong aren't we Torrhen we must go to Aegon now." Elia said not taking her eyes off her son. When the redness on Torrhen's skin went away from after his birth Elia could see the wine stain birthmark that started right under Torrhen's ear and went out to his cheek ending near his lips. It was long and thin and like a line, but it was thicker bellow his ear and almost went to a point where it ended. It resembled a claw mark Elia thought. Elia was not the only one, but she was less dramatic about it then the maids who whispered it was Rhaegars mark on the babe from the moon tea or perhaps for being so rough with his mother.

They did not stop their though, they say Rhaegars cruelty to the unborn child was the reason he lost the war with his large force. Rhaegar may have marked the babe in life but because of this Rhaegar himself was slain. They were calling her weeks old son Torrhen Stark the Bane of the Dragon. Elia thought Torrhen Stark the strong or the survivor would have been a better name of him. Hopefully the nickname would die in the Eyrie. Elia smiled as he squealed and wiggled in her arms. There was nothing fierce or intimidating about her baby he was just a baby, but they all walked around the castle like the baby slayed Rhaegar in battle. No, that honor went to Eddard.

"I must see my son, we have been apart for so long, and our rule must begin before it is given to someone else." Elia told the maestor getting to her feet.

She kissed Torrhen's head handing him off to her handmaiden and picking up Mariah and lifting her into the air her little daughter giggled in delight. "Mama!" She cried.

"Cover the babies in furs. Come here Rhaenys." She told her daughter. "I know everything lately has been about Aegon."

"This whole war is all about Aegon!" The little girl pouted.

"But you are the princess of Dragonstone, just like mommy was once, and I want you to have something Rhealla Targaryen your grandmother gave me." Elia said taking out her ruby Circlet of the princess of Dragonstone and placing it on her daughter's head.

Her head wasn't far from Dragonstones she sent Rhaella word that her Rhaegar was dead and that rebels would take the capital, she offered protection but explained the importance of keeping Lyanna Stark safe on Dragonstone. Rhaella wrote back that Jon connington had came already and taken Lyanna he had said it was the prince's orders and worst of all she was pregnant. Elia didn't know how to tell Eddard in their constant correspondence. She had to get there and be with him and her boy and tell him herself.

It was a long ride to the capital in the carriage and Rhaeny's insisted on wearing her circlet the whole way there. Every time Torrhen would scream the older baby Mariah would cry and they both had strong northern lungs. Elia would hold Torrhen in one hand and Mariah in the other and Rhaenys would sometime sleep on her mother's lap and the sweet moments made her miss Eddard more.

They arrived at the capital and were immediately greeted by her uncle Prince Lewyn of the king's guard with a fair amount of the city watch.

From inside the carriage they heard cheers. Elia was used to the days of the mad king, Rhaegar and her rarely came to Kingslanding but if they did Rhaegar would pull his banner from the carriage and they would keep the windows latched not wanting anyone to know the family members of the mad king who plagued this city were in the carriage. That was back when Rhaegar and Elia were at least allies, it seemed like a lifetime ago.

Old habits died heard and Elia's eyes widened, and heart jumped when Rhaenys opened the little window. The crowd cheered for Rhaenys and Elia could here her name to and adjusted her babies to open her own window to wave at them.

They arrived at the red keep after sometime and Eddard was there to greet him he had been holding the throne in his step sons name until the regent arrived, many people smelled betrayal but Elia knew better there was not a more honorable man alive.

"May I hold him." Eddard asked immediately and she gave Torrhen to his father, he kissed both of the girls heads scooping Mariah up in his other arm.

"Where is Aegon?" Elia asked.

Eddard led her inside to a private room with Arthur waiting at the door and Aegon was there . He ran into his mothers arms she held him tightly before looking him over ten fingers two ears two eyes one nose.

"My love we will never be separated again." She told him.

"Promise?" Aegon asked she pulled him in tighter.

"Good luck trying to get rid of me." She said and Eddard laughed.

Aegon had a little wooden wolf in his hand.

"Lord Glover made it for him." Eddard said the boy was so shaken he wanted to give him something to play with but Aegon just held it tightly to his chest for most of his journey Eddard kept him close. Eddard tried to stop often at inns for the little king but he was impressed by his sons resolve he didn't want to stop at inns or make camp he wanted to get to his mother to his throne.

After she had practically smothered him she let him play with Rhaenys she looked at Eddard where he sat with Mariah on his knee and Torrhen but in his arms smiling at his sleeping snoring baby that sounded like a little bear growling. Elia starred at Eddard, his features seemed sharper, her quiet wolf seemed older, everything boyish about him seemed gone. Not to say he did not still have the good sweet heart she fell inlove with she could hear him humming A bear and the maiden fair to his children.

She sat on his empty knee and straightened Torrhens blankets before running her hand through Mariah's thick black curles.

She turned to see his smile he was a simple man and this is all he wanted for a long time now.

"I missed you husband." She told him right before they kissed softly.

Eddard looked at Torrhen cautiously when he whinned but the baby went right back to slip.

"He is perfect Elia." Eddard said she did not reply but she ran her finger across the little mark on his cheek.

"Plenty of people have them." Eddard soothed. "And it could fade in time."

"No, it will haunt me forever." Elia told him certain of it. "I deserve it. I am his mother and I almost killed him." She said a tear rolled down her face.

"You did what you had to save Mariah." He told her softly. "And I am so grateful to have such a strong wife." He said she leaned into his shoulder but said nothing.

"I hope it never goes away, I like it." Eddard said shocking her. "It shows how strong my son is. How he got it from his mother." Eddard told her softly.

Arthur came in to move them along but Elia happily watched her children and cuddled with Eddard.

"Elia." Eddard reminded helping her up she nodded knowing she could cuddle him for hours later.

"We have a lot of prisoners to deal with your grace. Many come baring gifts." Ser Lewyn said. "To many of the kingsguard lie in chains, those who have died will have to be replaced."

"Yes of course, I would like to see lord Selmy first." Elia said as they walked to the throne room. Elia stopped the entourage taking Aegon's hand.

"Wave to the people Aegon, they are your people now." Elia told him and the little boy did as he was told before they went in.

"What was that about." Eddard asked.

"I want him to be beloved." Elia said.

"It did not help his father." Oberyn said approaching them. "Sister, beloved nephews and nieces."

"He is not your nephew he is your king!" A city watchman said.

"He can be both, idiot." Oberyen said kissing Elia before bowing to Aegon. He then tried the hard manuvor of pulling Torrhen from his fathers' arms. "What is wrong with his face?" Oberyn asked.

"Nothing!" Elia and Eddard said at the same time.

"Many people have-" Elia started.

"He is perfect Elia." Eddard promised. "And I will fight anyone who say otherwise." Eddard said.

"And what a threat you should have seen him in war Elia he was like a hungry wolf."

"Where is Doran?" Elia asked.

" Trying to fix his rooms, he is not used to roughing it I'm afraid." Oberyn mused.

Elia looked at the army of women behind Oberyn waiting for an explanation. "Wetnurses, governess, septa's. They are for the children."

"My children have me." Elia said simply.

"Elia you are regent you have to get used to a little help." Oberyn told her.

"Watch my children with your lives." Elia said finally letting them take Mariah, Torrhen, and Rhaenys and having some of the city watch go with them. It was hard for her to do.

Elia sat on the throne with her son on her lap. Ser Selmy was brought before them and he willingly kneeled.

The guards were on high alert Ser Selmy was a gifted knight even injured and Lewyn made sure to stand in the way of Ser Selmy and the king.

"Ser Selmy do you so swear to keep your vows to the kingsguard, to protect my son with your life in necessary." Elia asked.

"I did not believe in the cause, but I fought it because of my oath, I swear I would never let any harm befall the king and I would be proud to serve him to serve a king worthy of the name." He said and she could see the honesty in his eyes.

"Do you need to Rest Ser Selmy?" Elia asked kindly.

"I am ready to serve if you find me still fit."

"Then join your kingsguard ser."

"Thank you your majesty."

"He was amazing Elia opened me up like a pastry." Oberyn laughed.

"You fought him?" Elia asked.

"He did and I am lucky to have survived the experience." Ser Selmy said.

Elia looked at Eddard confused by their brotherliness while they talked about their battle.

"They almost killed each other and have been almost inseparable ever since." Eddard said with a shrug.

"If I refused to be friends with everyone who tried to kill me I would have no friends." Oberyn teased.

"Next Ser Jamie Lannister the kingslayer." Was called.

"He killed the king he stabbed him in the back, I came in after." Ned told her. "He should be sent to the wall your grace."

The boy looked more scared child then cold-hearted killer.

"Explain yourself Ser Jamie." Elia said and he was surprised anyone cared.

"He was going to kill us."

"You in the room with him?"

"All of us in Kingslanding, he has wildfire hidden in cashes around the city."

"Do you think you could find these Cashes?"

"I, yes I do."

"Do you swear absolute loyalty to my son?"

"I do." He said and he bent the knee.

"After this hearing, take 25 men from the city guard I want to know where all of it is located."

"Yes queen Regent."

"You are the last men of the kingsguard, there are four open places and I want you together to select some candidates and the Lord Commander may bring them to me."

"The Lord Comander died in the war my queen." Lewyen reminded.

"And we must keep out hope for Arthurs survival." Ser selmy said. Elia and Eddard shared a glance but she said nothing.

"And it's time for someone to take his place, Ser Selmy kneel." Elia said.

Ser Barristan Selmy was shocked Lewyn was her uncle and she had always been so fond of Arthur when he protected her and the prince. He did as he was told.

"In my sons name I call on you as the new lord Comander of the kingsguard." Elia said he stood.

"Thank you my lady." He said with great honor.

"Lord Tywin Lannister is here with a gift for his majesty." The announcer said.

"A bribe." Eddard muttered to Elia.

But it was worse he came in and his servants brought them in wrapped in Lannister cloaks, but their white hair was stained with blood. Rhaella Targaryen her son and her infant daughter.

The throne room was quiet. "Dragonstone was taken by the Lannisters in your son's name." Tywin began.

"No one asked you to take it!" Elia said her hands were covering her sons eyes. " Ser Lewyn, take the king, now." Elia said and Lewyn took his hand leading him away.

Ser Selmy looked at Elia's face there was no smile no gratefulness that the boy Aerys had named his heir over Aegon was dead, she was not that kind of ruler, and he was glad for it.

"It was to show our loyalty to you and your son your grace." Tywin said

"Have you no honor?" Eddard asked.

"HOW DARE YOU, YOU KILLED CHILDREN IN OUR NAME, AEGON'S BLOOD! You murdered members of the royal family!" Elia yelled

Tywin smiled as though she was stupid and need to be taught by him the right path.

"My lady, the gift, is that you may stay the heroes, I will be the villain, it, and what is important is that the threat is dealt with, you need someone willing to do what is necessary at your side, near to your heart, name me your sons' hand." Tywin told getting closer but the kingsguard stopped him in his approach. Tywin gave Jamie a glare, but Selmy's fury was not to be challenged so he stepped back.

"Thank you for, explaining it to me Lord Twin."

"Any time your majesty." Tywin said with a humble bow and a victorious smile.

"Lord Tywin is not pardoned." Elia said and his smile went away.

Eddards hand went to his sword he was between Jamie and Elia they would see where his allegiance laid.

"Are you going to chop of my head, or perhaps have me burned in this room like the poor Lord Stark?"

"Don't you speak of my Father and brother!" Eddard said Ser Selmy's head turned to Eddard then back to the matter at hand.

"I'm sure you would tell me what I was to do if you were my sons hand, but you are not my sons hand. Ser Selmy take Tywin Lannister to the black cells he is stripped of his titles and lands."

"MY BROTHERS WILL FIGHT THIS!" Tywin yelled.

"Will they? Because there is a vacancy for a loyal Lannister to be lord of Casterly Rock and warden of the west, they are your brothers, do you think they will be interested?" Elia asked.

"Perhaps you do not need my services after all." Tywin said she was smart, but it was not near over.

"I am sorry you had to be here for that Jamie." Elia said.

"It is my duty." Jamie said softly.

"Please have the Targaryen's buried with respect. " Elia said softly.

"Speaking of which. What would you have of the mad king and his son."

"Where are they now?"

"The sept of Baelor on display."

"Have them buried there." Elia said she had no love for either, but it was their right.

"Would you like to see the prince before he is buried?" Ser Selmy asked quietly. "I could arrange it and nobody would have to know." He said kindly.

"I've shed every till I ever will for Rhaegar Targaryen. But thank you for your kind offer.

Olenna Tyrell came in as they took their bloody body's away. "I have a far better gift for you my dear." Olenna promised she snapped her fingers and six men carried in a model of a castle it was beautiful with tall coloms that looked like Marble.

"A beautiful toy." Elia agreed unsure what it was for.

"It is only the model, the real thing is being built, Summerhall anew it will take them 10 years to complete they say." Elia asked she looked at Eddard who was shocked.

"And you are giving this to Aegon?"

"We both know nothing is free. Your brother Prince Doran aided Stormsend under siege, something Luthor should have never tried in the first place, but now Stannis Baratheon has my son and says he will not return him unless he has a hostage in exchange and he wants my little grandsons Willas is 9 and shy Garlan is only 7." Olenna said the way she spoke about her grandsons showed how much she loved them and cared for them and feared for them. "You pardon us for my sons' stupidity and keep Stannis Bartheon from taking our children, and you have earned our allegiance and Summerhall." Olenna said she was desperate to save the boys and Elia knew if she did not agree to this Olenna was not afraid to spill blood.

"In my sons name I will pardon your house and have hostages sent home and all Stannis is allowed to ask in return is for gold I'm sure you will find this suitable."

"Of course, as you can see, I am happy to throw money at a problem." Olenna laughed.

Varys and Maestor Pycelle also had to be pardoned but Ser Selmy came back from the prisons and quickly asked Ned to come with him he hadn't wanted to get his hopes up but last he knew Brandon Stark was not dead. He was passed out when his father was being murdered he had tried so hard to get the sword he couldn't breath and lost consciousness they thought him dead but when he proved alive he was tortured and put back in a cell, Barristan left for the war but he had not heard of Brandons death. He held the torch for Eddard as he saw his brother. Eddard took the torch. "Get water and I want the maestor to look at him, I will take him to the families apartments." Eddard said Brandon moved away from him in fear staring at the torch. Eddard through the thing going to his brother.

Brandon had burns all around his body and after almost escaping he had lost his sword hand.

"Where is Lyanna?" Brandon asked.

"I don't know. I was sure she was on Dragonstone but now I don't know. Jon Connington and Arthur Dayne are missing to and I know they have her. I will find her." Eddard said.

"And you will be able to rescue her." Brandon said sullenly.

"You have an important journey to, to meet your son." Eddard told him and his eyes lite up. "W-what?"

"Robb is his name, Catelyn's idea I swear."

"Poor Cats been raising him alone." Brandon said softly.

"Catelyn is headed to Winterfell now."

"Why?"

"Her father sent her back to Riverrun." Eddard admitted slowly.

"Why?" He asked angry now.

"Everyone thought you were dead, so he wanted her home to remarry her which thank the gods did not happen." Eddard said.

"So it is safe for her and the baby to travel?" Brandon asked.

Eddard paused making his big brother look at him.

"Robb stayed at Winterfell as your son he was the lord of Winterfell." Eddard said.

"Tully separated Cat from our baby!"

"I wanted to punch him in the face but Jon wouldn't let me." He left out that Jon was going to marry Catelyn and let her go see her boy as much as he could.

"I'm going to kill him, but she is going home now?"

"Yes she's going home now." Eddard promised.

"And when will we go home?" Brandon asked.

"You can go whenever your ready but my place is with Elia."

"I cannot believe you are the king of Westeroes step father." Brandon laughed.

"Wait if you have been off fighting a war and Lyanna is god knows where, who the fuck is watching my son!" Brandon said with a glare.

"Who do you think? Benjen, he was also the Stark in Winterfell through the war even though he longs for the Nightswatch he was going to set aside his dream until Robb turned 16." Eddard said and Brandon smiled proudly.

Then frowned at the nub. "Will I even be able to hold him?" Brandon asked and tried to take Torrhen from Eddards hands but the baby started slipping and Eddard quickly secured his son. "Robb isn't this little." Eddard said putting him in his crib and grabbing his daughter from where she played. "He is a few weeks younger then Mariah. "He told him, and Eddard handed Brandon Mariah having him hold her to his hip. He smiled seemingly calmed by this.

"You have this whole family now Ned." Brandon grinned.

"I love them." Ned admitted.

"I liked her, Lady Olenna, I almost named her Aegon's hand if I had not known she would put her interests above his own." Elia told her husband at night as she combed out her hair at her vanity, he laid in their bed it was to soft and he kept having to adjust.

"You should have sent Jamie Lannister to the wall." He told her the capital was also to hot he took of the white shirt he was going to sleep in.

"He's a boy, you should have asked him what happened." Elia told him she was surprised how quickly Eddard judged him.

"I was proud of you for how well you handled Tywin." Eddard admitted. "He deserves the sword."

"I keep seeing there faces, I doubt I can sleep." Elia admitted as she got into bed, and Eddard wrapped his arms around her yanking the covers off of both of them making her laugh. "What was that for?"

"It's to hot in the capital." Eddard grumbled.

"You know I love you right?"

"I do."

"Will you be mad that I don't name you Aegon's hand?"

"No. I'd be mad if you did, I don't think I have the head for that all, not like you do."

"You are my loyal good honest man, but I need someone who would break the rules for Aegon."

"You just do best by your son and I will do my best by you and the children." Eddard told her.

"You will be named to the kings council."

"I don't much enjoy ships and as for coin my wife has always handled my finances." He told her making her laugh happily cuddled up to him.

"Master of Laws, you're the most just man I know."

"Fine." Eddard told her kissing her neck he had other things on his mind.

"I don't want you to leave." She admitted.

"I have to find her."

"I know." Elia admitted she stopped his hand out of reflex when he touched her leg.

"I'm sorry you just had a baby that's the last thing you want." Eddard said.

"No it isn't that. Rhaegar told me Lyanna was at Dragonstone, I couldn't tell you over letters it was not safe. But the last thing Rhaella sent me was that Jon took her off dragonstone."

"Tywin was question he said she was not their I figured as much."

"She was pregnant Ned." Elia said softly and could see the change in him. Lyanna was a victim of this war, like Rhaella and her children. Like Denys and Alys Ayrrn like so many more.

"This all started because Rhaegar wasn't pleased with me how many people had to suffer because of it." Elia asked Eddards hand was in her hair and calmed her but his rage quietly burned.

"I wish you would have thrown his body in the blackwater Elia, I wish I left him to rot on the battlefield." Eddard admitted.

"He is gone. We cannot let him hurt us anymore."

"What about Lyanna and Robert?"

"You worry about your sister I will tell Robert, if they want we can raise the baby or Brandon would probably take it to Winterfell." Elia said.

"Lets not speak about him for the rest of the night ok." Eddard said pulling her close they were finally together again and he would leave tomorrow. She nodded she could go a lifetime without hearing of Rhaegar. "I love you Eddard with all my heart." She told him before falling to sleep in his arms.

"I love you too Elia with everything I have." Eddard said softly kissing her hair.


	14. Life goes on

**This chapter is really jumpy so sorry for that in advance. I had alot to shove in this chapter lol. So fair warning I am thinking of taking a break from fanfiction, because I'm getting sick of the hate. I know taking it is apart of witting but I am a big believer in being nice and if you don't like something just simply stop reading it without being rude. This is NOT about this story as all the comments have been really nice and the criticism constructive as it is meant to be. I really hope to get the Princess of Dorne finished before I go but I make no promises for this one because I have decided to make it longer then I had first thought it would be because I wanted to deal with some of the other characters lives on this new path besides just Eddard and Elia. I will let you know when my decision is more final. Sorry for all of my personal baggage here but I write for fun and I usually stay up late after my two jobs to do so and the negativity is ruining the fun. Anywho thanks for reading and let me know what you think.**

* * *

 _"W-what." He said but a disappointed growl left his throat as she sat up to explain her lips leaving his skin. "Oberyn says the seductresses go to the married me and ask them what their wives names are, and they are so smitten with these whores they get all in knots and cannot remember their wives' names. I want you to remember." She said and went back to kissing down his bare stomach. He laughed his hands tangled in her glorious black hair._

 _"You're the only one who gets me all in knots." Eddard promised Rhaegar was gone but the scars he left were deep. Eddard was a good loyal man, but she thought Rhaegar was once._

 _Eddard pulled her up to look at her eyes. "I know he did you dishonor you don't deserve, but I am not him. I would never on my honor as a Stark cheat on you Elia." He promised. His rough hands moved a crossed her smooth skin, until his finger ran against her lips. "Yours is the name always on the edge of my lips when I'm with you I want you when I am away all I do is think of you." He admitted._

 _"You're sweet." She mused._

 _"Don't go." She said softly._

 _"I must."_

 _"Well then you must remember me by." Elia said kissing back down his body. "Elia what are you-" Eddard started to ask before she gave his length a lick silencing him, she then put the tip in her mouth swirling it around her tongue before going down father onto his length and all he could do was call out her name._

He rode for days on tips from villagers the prince was no friend of theirs and they were happy to help Elia Martell's husband. His men and he were always happily house and feed.

He was told to go to the tower of joy. That steel men guarded it and one of the steel men came and plucked away three women he would find out were all midwives.

He and a small accompany of men went to the tower of Joy to find Ser Arthur and Ser Whent of the kingsguard.

"I looked for you on the trident Ser Arthur? Why weren't you their to protect your prince?" Eddard asked.

"We weren't there." Arthur said simply.

"If we were, you would lie beneath the ground kingslayer!" Whent said he had no idea how Rhaegar was in the end. Arthur wished he had that luxury.

"Rhaegar was not my king, he was a mad man who threatened my Aegon, I would do it again." Eddard said and ser whent howled.

"The mad king is dead, Rhaegar lies beneath the ground. Why weren't you their to protect your prince?"

"Our prince wanted us here." Arthur said Eddard could hear the regret in Arthurs voice.

"Where is my sister?"

"I wish you good fortune in the wars to come." Arthur said simply putting his helm on.

"Bend the knee to King Aegon." Eddard said simply.

"Now it begins." Arthur said.

"No." Eddard said. "Now it ends."

Soon Ser Whent and all of Eddards friends were laying in the dirt.

"I take no pleasure in this." Arthur assured.

"Why not? It would not be your greatest sin." Eddard said simply trying desperately to keep up.

"Because she will weep for you, mourn for you and scorn me for killing you. And I love Elia Martell."

"No, you don't know what love is!" Eddard promised while the fight ensued.

"I swore an OATH."

Then the truth came out. "I would break a hundred oaths to keep Elia safe!" He said and Reed got up stabbing ser Arthur in the side and kicking the backs of his knees making him fall to his knees.

"Do you have any last words?"

"As an honorable man I ask you to make sure my sister is not punished for my actions, I want Elia to know everything I did was because I was compelled to by my oath, but th-at doesn't exc-use mm-y action-s does it?" Arthur asked struggling to speak.

"Will he die from it?" Eddard asked Howlen Redd who gave his friend an odd look. "I could patch him, but I won't because he just killed good men."

"And why should he get out of payment for what he has done. He should take the black and have to think of what he did for Rhaegar." Eddard said.

"You think I h-have any love for him?" Arthur asked with a glare. "He did unspeakable things in the end!"

"Why didn't you kill him!" Eddard asked why he would let Rhaegar force Elia to drink moon tea, he let him steal a child from his mothers arms and rape a young woman and Eddard needed to know why.

"I-I was going to kill him after he…." Arthur couldn't finish his sentence even though Eddard wanted to know what his line was where his oath no longer mattered after everything he had done.

"Ashara after….she told me not to kill him, she said all I had left was my oath, why sully that know." Arthur said and Eddards eyes widened. "Do you let him touch your sister?" Eddard asked and watched the shame on his face. It would be a waste of talent to kill the sword of the morning instead of send him to the wall, the wall was a death sentence for many of the royalist sent there, but not Arthur he would thrive at the wall he would probably work his way up to commander and Elia and all the others Arthur wronged for his vows would have to deal with him out their forever.

"If you want me to patch him I will need to-" Howleen started but Eddard raised the sword.

"Ser Arthur Dayne in the name of king Aegon the 6th I sentence you to death." Eddard said. "Make peace with your gods."

"Why? They will never make peace with me." Arthur admitted hanging his neck before his own family sword came down on it.

* * *

In days the Lannisters came before Elia and her son.

"You put our brother inchains, I will always admire you for that." Gerion said.

"And you followed suit by putting your other brother in chains?" Elia asked.

"Queen Regent, Kevan was going to come to you with the Lannister Army. We saw the necessary in your severity." Tyget said he was better with words.

"And opportunity that you have given." Gerion said.

"I see, so who should I address as acting lord of Casterly rock?"

"Acting?" Tyget asked.

"Until Tyrion comes of age, you will of course raise him and teach him how to be lord as you see fit, I would also like to name one of you the master of ships." Elia said sweeting the pot.

"As eldest I will be acting lord." Tyget said finally.

"I am honored to be master of your ships my lady." Gerion said decisively.

"Take Kevan away, as for you two come here, we will discuss your brother's futures."

"I say kill them both." Tyget said simply as he approached her.

"That makes us look weak."Gerion said following.

"It makes us look weak that the crown can just hold them if they lose their heads, they look weak and we do not, not if we are the ones who had their heads chopped off." Tyget explained.

"Fine." Gerion agreed.

"You will be good to the boy, won't you?" Elia asked.

"Tyrion is the best thing Tywin ever did." Tyget admitted

"We would like one further honor of you my lady, a good husband for Cersei." Gerion added.

"Stannis Baratheon?" Elia asked.

"A second son?"

"Edmure Tully then?"

"Can you arrange it?"

" I know Hoster he's a good man." Elia promised but she was sure Hoster would enjoy the match. "You will have to give a Lannister sized dowery, it will be expected and show people you are still proud lions." Elia said.

"Of course." Tyget agreed.

And at long last Elia decided on a hand and Oberyn followed after her.

"Doran thought for sure you would choose him to be your sons' hand." Oberyn told his sister.

"He is to passive just as you are to aggressive." Elia said.

"Did your Lord husband knock you up before he left?" Oberyn teased.

"Eddard says he would be happy with Torrhen being our last, I want more." She admitted.

Jon Ayrrn was named hand of the king Elia noticed Jon Ayrrn walking taller and seeming younger after his appointment and then she found the reason, a certain beautiful young woman. Many people thought the pairing was odd she so young and beautiful, but Elia had not seen Ashara smile in so long, she made Ashara sleep in her bed while Ned was away.

Ashara was so upset about what happened what Arthur had done and what Rhaegar had done to Ashara Elia expected but never pryde. All she knew was she could not save Alys but she would save Ashara. So when she saw Ashara laughing in Jon's company but she thought it was just curtesy or because Jon did have a merry since of humor. It was not till she caught Ashara and Jon dancing together that she knew something was going on and she worked to set them together. Jon insisted someone as young and beautiful as Ashara would not be happy with him and he could not bear for her to be unhappy. Elia tried to assure him, but it was Ashara that finally convinced him she did not want a young handsome knight. "Like Rhaegar" She said dryly much preferring his company besides Ashara had a lifetime of young gallant men asking for her hand silly boys nothing compare to Jon.

He had to excuse himself from kings landing to go marry Ashara in the vale. Ashara's brother the Lord of Starfall was thrilled with the match especially when Lord Dayne was written by Elia herself of Lord Ayrrn's honor. He trusted his princess and when they returned, the Vale had a new Lady Ayyrn.

"The most beautiful Lady Ayrrn the vale has ever known surely." Jon had insisted to everyone.

"He's kind and good like your Ned." Ashara assured her princess as they sat on the floor of Elia's bedchamber in their beautiful dresses crumpling on the floor as they played with Elia's children.

"I am very happy for you." Elia told him.

"I know you think he is just an old man but, he is experienced not a fumbling boy, he's very good to me and caters to my mood swings."

"Mood swings? Someone as fair as you has moodswings?" Elia teased but her smile dropped when she saw Ashara's sad face her lip trying not to tremble and Elia grabbed her friends hand getting a soft sad smile in response.

"Sometimes I cannot stand to be touched and he respects that, he even reads to me or plays his lute for me instead. Sometimes I just want to be held for hours while I cry and Jon does that without judgement. And sometimes I just need to be taken in the way only a real man can take a woman and Jon can do that to." Ashara told Elia her smile now was one of pride. "His hand doesn't shake when is goes up my skirt, he is a real man."

Elia smiled. "It sounds like love."

"It is." Ashara promised but quickly changed the subject to idol gossip. "Lady Cersei is said to be with child and still angry she had to marry a boy."

"Edmure is a kind young man and he is only a year younger then her." Elia reminded she hoped they would work out their differences especially given her hand in their marriage.

" Lysa Tully married Tygett Lannister, he is the Lord now ever since the boy ran away." Ashara said. Elia wanted that looked into but had to pick a good man she could trust and the best man was gone.

"I long for Eddard I want him to come back already, I want him to find Lyanna and her baby and them all to be okay and for Eddard to never have to leave again." Elia admitted.

"He will come home." Ashara assured.

* * *

Finally Eddard came home with bad news. Lyanna had given birth but the baby was stolen away, and he knew not where, it was imperative they raised Visenyen as he was called themselves and not by someone who would poison the boy against Aegon and try to rebel. But they had no idea even where to look.

Eddard returned with Lyanna who had a troublesome birth and was put on bed rest robbert stormed back to her side.

She saw his handsome worried face through heavily lidded eyes.

"My robbert." She only just barely whispered her hand softly caressed his face. "Is it really you or am I just dreaming your hear again."

"You dreamed of me." He asked and a tear rolled down her face.

"Always." She said softly he held back his own tears and took her cold little hand in his great big one and pressed it to his lips before pressing it to his chest and when she felt his heart beat she smiled.

"My strong Robert at last we are reunited." She told him.

"Not Strong enough to save you." Robert said the tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm so sorry Lyanna."

"You've done nothing but be better then I deserved." She assured.

"I would do anything for you Lyanna."

"Good, I'm afraid I am about to ask a lot of you." She admitted.

"My son was the only thing I had to live for, the only reason I made it back to you. I will not live long enough to protect him Robbert I need someone as strong as you too, swear to me you will protect him."

"I swear it."

"They named him Visenyen. It's what Rhaegar would have wanted, but I wanted to name him after you in some small way, I thought your fathers name was too suspicious but I almost got Rhaegar to agree to call him Jon, I was so terribly tricky Robert you would have been proud." She told him.

"I am furiously proud of you Ly." He promised. "I need you to rest so you can get better, so we can get married and raise your boy with all our other children we will have." Robert assured.

"I am not going to live Robert but I do want to marry you before I die."

"Don't say that."

"I mean it Robert I will mother none of your children but I will be your first wife and our names will forever be tied on your family tree." She told him softly.

"When you feel better." Robert assured.

"I'm not getting better Robert." Lyanna told him and his eyes closed.

Give me a few hours, Elia will find you a nice dress, I will have them put flowers in the sept, fuck the court fuck my brothers it will just be us and the people with love." Robert said but in the end she agreed to wait a week enough time for Brandon and Benjen to kill three horses getting their as soon as they could.

Ellia and Asharia made a beautiful dress that was white but covered in blue and grey that looked like a beautiful storm, Ashara gave her golden jewels so she would have some yellow for Baratheon and together the to Dornish women did their best at a northern braid.

True to his promise Robert filled the sept with wildflowers Lyanna loved wildflowers. There were more wildflowers and candles then people and Lyanna thought it was the most beautiful sight she ever saw, but her health had rapidly deteriorated over the week and she struggled to walk the steps of the sept. Brandon who had been walking her down the isle picked her up carrying her. He had adapted to loosing his sword hand quite well, but his mood had been sour since he returned he had been imprisoned so long he know longer felt he belonged in his family home. He didn't belong with his beautiful merry wife or his gorgeous perfect son he was afraid of ruining with the darkness that filled him, but today he mustered a small smile for Lyanna.

He let her down next to Robert who put a hand firmly on her waist keeping her up. He put his cloak around her.

"This is the best day of my life." He whispered to her.

"I never want it to end." She admitted to him

They feasted and Robert tried to feed his bride but she ate like a bird.

She rested on his shoulder and they watched. Jon and Ashara dance and Ned and Elia. Everyone was surprised Jon could keep up with his wife and they looked graceful together. Elia was a beautiful dancer but Eddard could not keep up and just looked like a lovesick fool whom she must have taken pity on because she seemed to slow down for him and adapt to his lazily sway dance style and Elia's head went back in laughter at her sweet simple husband, Lyanna thought her good sister even did that beautifully with grace.

"She makes him happy doesn't she?" Lyanna asked.

"She does in deed." Robert told her and Lyanna thought she would be more at rest knowing one good thing came from her terrible mistake.

Benjen danced with Elia's little neice Princess Arianne Martell who was only 13 to Benjen's 20 but she looked like she was absolutely inlove with him. Robert nodded to Prince Doran talking to Brandon who was leaning against a wall.

"Benny might become a prince concert." Robert teased. Her brothers all looked so diffrent since she left, older more stoiac boyhood had left all of them completely and she couldn't help but feel guilty for the war she had started but this was all she wanted sitting in Roberts arms watching the people she loved happy and merry.

Nobody called for a bedding the couple just politely decided to retire.

Robert carried Lyanna to bed laying her down gently and kissing her lips. "Go to sleep." He told her.

Her hand held his wrist keeping him near. "Please Robert, just for tonight."

"Lyanna you are in no condition for that." He told her simply.

She smiled as she pulled her pretty dress down off her shoulders, she watched his eyes hypnotized by her. "Just once, I want to know what it feels like to bed made love to Robert." She whispered softly and he could not deny her. He was gentle and they took everything slow and she was sure he kissed every part of her body and the whole time he was inside her he whispered her name in her ear with such love. She never felt anything like making love to Robert.

Everyone was surprised how Lyanna Stark held on with an iron will to life and how devoted Robert remained to the sickly girl.

Even more surprising was Lyanna and Elia's sisterhood they could talk for hours about anything, the first time Robert and Eddard thought they should stay to keep the peace, but they only seemed to slow them down and both of them turned bright red when the girls started whispering to each other as they laid on the bed. They would take turns looking at the men and try to quite their giggles after that they always found some other way to occupy their time when Elia and Lyanna had their talks, but Elia was busy as regent and Robert spent the most time with her.

"Tell me please." Lyanna asked she laid in bed and Robert held her. "What does everybody know that I don't?"

"We got a spies report."

"Tell me?"

"Jon connington is going by 'griff' and has a boy who looks like baby Visenyen." Robert told her the exact words told to him.

"Jon his name is Jon." Lyanna muttered frustrated.

"I'm coming around to Visenyen I would hate for Jon Connington to think you would name our boy after him." He said and when she didn't speak, he looked back at her to see more light in her face then there had been in a long time.

"You called him are boy."

"He will be our boy when we find him anyways." Robert said he knew Lyanna was worried about how he would handle this, he sighed. "You should have seen how Eddard protected Aegon, _he_ signed his death certificate the minute he threatened that boy and their was no mercy in Ned's kind eyes Ly. If Eddard can love Aegon like that, I can love Jon or Visenyen or whatever he is to be called." Robert told her and she squeezed his hand.

"Eddard is leaving soon to go get him." Robert told her.

"Eddard is leaving his family again with a pregnant wife for me." Lyanna sighed softly.

"I think he hates leaving her and the children." Robert said one night when they drank to much Eddard had said. _Aegon forgot Rhaegar, what if my children forget me, or worse they will remember me as the father who always leaves._

"Let me talk to Eddard. I will go I am a better tracker then Eddard is." Robert said careful not to say hunter.

"I would love that Robert." Lyanna admitted.

"But you have to promise me Lyanna that you will be here when I return." Robert told her and she nodded her agreement. "I want to see my son again." She whispered scared to say it to loud scared it would never come true.

* * *

 **LYANNA LIVES! For now, she has never been my favorite Character I think shes kind of a stupid selfish little girl, not unlike Sansa but Lyanna is always forgiven for being selfish and Sansa is usually crucified for it and as someone who likes Sansa fine I thought Lyanna should get a chance to grow from her mistakes too. Jon Ayrrn and Ashara just kinda came out of my brain and I thought it would really work you will have to let me know if you like it or if it is too weird because I've been going back and fourth on that one myself. Yes I mad Arianne like 4 years older because rare/nonexistant ships are my thing! Not sure they will have anymore to do with each other then this dance but when I added it, it really seemed worth it lol. Thank you for reading, thank you guys for always being nice, I hope you enjoyed.**


	15. Trials of Matrimony

**Big thanks to vodoomarie for being the best beta reader in the world. Thank you for reading this story. Let me know what you think of this chapter. Hope you enjoy! I really like the idea of some of the other couples in this story so I have given them a little more attention in this chapter. Please let me know if you like this or if you would rather I focused more solely on Elia and Eddard. Thanks again!**

* * *

Eddard woke immediately when he heard his wife sob.

"Elia!" Her name crossed his lips before his eyes even opened. Vision still blurred, he turned right to his wife to see the panic on her tear-soaked face. Eddard immediately looked around for someone, instinct telling him to get his sword to protect his wife before seeing the blood on the bed.

"I-I must've lost the baby in my sleep." She choked out. She was deathly pale as Eddard pulled her into his arms and just held her while she cried for a moment.

"I will go get your handmaidens and Grand maester-", Eddard started.

"No!" Elia cried out. "I am already at a disadvantage as Regent for being born a woman, I cannot afford to look weak."

"Elia this is not something you can help." Eddard said softly.

"If I am removed as Regent, Aegon would have a council of regents who would rule this kingdom however best fills their pockets for 12 years." Elia said and shook her head. She had cleaned Rhaella up after her miscarriages, she would do the same.

Eddard got up looking around before finding a bathing cloth to wrap to put his tiny babe in. He grabbed the water bowl and another towel and cleaned Elia before changing her night robe and pulling her up in his arms taking her over to the daybed and laying her down there. "Let me at least get the Grand Maestor."

"Not Pycelle." Elia said simply. "I will never let that disgusting man touch me." She said as Eddard pulled the bloody sheets off the bed. He tried to focus on taking care of Elia instead of the pain he felt for this little thing. The child was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. He would never know it so why was he so sad about its death, he didn't know but he could not shake it either. "Rhaella told me…" Elia started but trailed off as her eyes widened, and she clasped her hand to her mouth.

"Elia?" Eddard asked.

"P-pycelle, Rhaella told me Pycelle would poison the men Aerys thought she was sleeping with when they needed medicine. That's how he got into Aerys' good graces."

"That's horrible." Eddard admitted, but at this time of night with what they were going through he couldn't truly care as much as he should.

"Lyanna! Eddard, Pycelle is doing the same thing to Lyanna to get in with me!" Elia said. It made perfect sense. Eddard could not blame Elia for Lyanna dying because of childbirth but Elia would get her revenge. If she at all wanted that which she did not.

She tried to get to her feet, Eddard stopped her before she could. "I will handle everything!" Eddard swore. He quickly dressed and grabbing his sword, he ran to Jon Arryn's rooms.

"Get up Jon, we have work to do." Eddard said bursting in. Jon Arryn was at his desk trying to work but Ashara was on his lap trying to distract him.

"Can he work later?" Ashara mused until she look up and saw his distraught face.

"Lyanna is being poisoned Jon we need to act quickly!" Eddard said. He looked to Ashara who was getting up and trying to get out of the way.

"Ashara I need your help as well. Elia is...we are having a terrible night. Will you go to her?" Eddard asked as Jon got his armor on.

"Of course." Ashara said simply.

"Jon, write up an order for Pycelle's arrest! I will be back soon." He promised. He returned to their chambers and carried the child out to the godswood before turning around because it wasn't right. Instead, he entrusted it to one of his household guards and had it sent to Winterfell. It was still a member of his family and deserved the right he could not take from his child.

The night went on and Pycelle confessed under duress to the crime. He was lucky Robert was not there. He was thrown in a cell with an impending execution. He gave no cure for Elia but they had another Maestor in King's Landing come until such time the new grand maestor arrived. The new maestor went to help Lyanna. Ashara paid a midwife for her discretion to tend to Elia. In the early morning hours, Eddard beheaded Pycelle.

Afterwards, he walked back to his room to see Elia and Ashara in bed with Torrhen and Mariah between them.

"I will leave you." Ashara said getting up. "Should I take the children?"

"No, thank you." Eddard said as he walked in from his place in the doorway. He sat on the side of the bed next to Elia taking Mariah and bouncing her on is knee, his little daughters' crazy curls now went down to her shoulders she giggled as he bounced her before kissing their head.

"Ashara and I like to steal them from their nurses and septas. Aegon and Rhaenys are at lessons. Aegon is only 4 but they say that's when they start with wooden swords." Elia mused sadly.

"That is when I started." Eddard said. "You know I love Aegon and Rhaenys don't you?"

Elia smiled, "Of course I do."

"And these two…" Eddard said looking at his little children. Torrhen lay on his stomach and was trying to lift himself up on his hands and knees. He fussed at Elia as if asking why he could not crawl or walk like Mariah. Mariah giggled and babbled, "Papa papa!" Eddard was her favorite person in the world, nobody could compare to him to his daughter.

"You know I was going to join the Night's Watch with Benjen. We were waiting until he was old enough so we could go together. I never thought I would get this." Eddard said. "And I am so grateful to you for giving me them."

"I never thought I would have anymore children either." Elia admitted softly. "They are my miracles."

"You and them, that's all I ever need." Eddard said and Elia realized what he was saying.

"You told me you wanted a big Northern family."

"And four is plenty. It's too dangerous Elia." Eddard told her.

She nodded her agreeance he wrapped his arm around her pulling her onto his vacant knee. As she was moved farther from him, Torrhen was now even more determined to get to his mommy, pulling himself up and crawling to her. She pulled him up in her arms.

"I've never had a child crawl at 8 months of life, it usually takes longer." She told him.

Eddard swelled with pride. "He is my tough boy, I cannot wait to see what kind of man he becomes." Eddard said with a small grin.

"He's so stubborn already, he gets that from you." Elia teased.

"I thought he got it from you." Ned teased kissing her head.

"This is more than enough Elia." Ned told her softly. "No more babies."

She nodded slowly. "No more." She choked out in a sad agreement.

In Riverrun Edmure was waiting as patiently as he could as he heard Cersei's cries in the other room. Father said he had to wait until the child born and cleaned and for Cersei to be ready to present it to him which would be at least several hours after the birth, and that Edmure should just go fishing or busy himself another way. Edmure could not be anywhere else. His bride and he were not a love match, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen but she had expected much more then to be married to the next Lord Paramount of the Trident, and cast glares about every time she saw him. But every once and in an while she showed him the softer side behind her armor, like on their wedding night as they laid in the dark. She softly whispered her thanks for him being gentle and on the anniversary of his mother's death, she collected wildflowers for him to put by her grave something she used to do for her own mother.

"EDMURE!" Cersei screamed breaking his train of thought and he burst through the door to get to her. Midwives yelled at him to get out, but he went to her. He had never seen his bride anything but put together. Today her beautiful golden mane was a sweaty mess around her, her face was stained with tears as she screamed trying to will the baby out. In pain and distress he had never seen her under.

"I'm right here Cersei." He promised she grabbed his hand so tightly.

"I can't do this!" She cried. "This is all your fault!" She hissed even in pain she could only be delicate for a moment. He had already assumed that this was his fault after all she blamed him for her 'ruined life' as she thought of it. "The baby has your big head!" She bit out and he had to smile at that jab. Most of her jabs made him smile which was the most frustrating thing about him.

"Yes you can! You are the strongest person I know." He told her and she smiled lightly before her face scrunched in pain as she cried out.

"Lord Edmure this is woman's work you cannot be here." A septa told him.

"I am not leaving her side!" Edmure stated. Even in pain she could not believe the loyalty he showed her.

He kept his word as she labored for two more hours before the screams of their babe filled the room.

A midwife took it, going to clean it off, and Cersei laid back in the bed resting.

"You were amazing." Edmure told her.

"I-I want my son." She muttered tired from her long labor.

"It's a baby girl." The midwife said trying to hand it to Cersei but she looked like she would cry.

Edmure happily took the little bundle in his arms, and held her as she fussed. "She has my hair!" He said happily looking over the little babe who had little tuffs of red hair.

"I'm sorry." Cersei whispered.

"Why?" Edmure asked but he knew what she meant when her green eyes met his blue ones.

"She is perfect, and sons will come." Edmure promised. She looked at his big smile noticing his dimples and deciding his many freckles only added to his boyish charm.

"What if they don't?" She said softly.

"Well I think she will be a fine Lady of the Riverlands, she is going to be strong like her mother I can tell." He said with a big grin. "We should call her Cersei." He said and she gave him a glare.

"No, she is your heir until I give you a son! She will need a Tully name." Cersei almost demanded and Edmure chuckled. The vulnerable young girl giving birth was long gone and she was back to being the proud lioness.

He handed her the baby as it cried.

"She is hungry." The wet nurse said reaching for the babe.

"I want to do it!" Cersei snapped pulling one side of her nightdress down. Edmure watched proudly as she fed her baby with a little proud smirk, he was getting fonder of her every time he saw it.

"Cecilia, I know that's a family name." He said and it sounded just a little like Cersei.

"Cecilia Tully." Cersei said with a smile. "Suitable." She said simply.

Edmure was still unsure what wonderful luck he had that had him married to the most beautiful girl in all the seven kingdoms, and with a healthy daughter just born.

Benjen laughed as he held up Robb on his shoulders in the courtyard just as snow began to fall down.

"Benjen Stark, put him down and take him inside before you both die of cold!" Catelyn said as she made her way to them.

"Come on Cat it's our first summer snow, and Robb wants to catch his first snowflake. It is a very important thing!" Benjen said.

"Mommy it is important!" Her toddler repeated like a little parrot as he reached to catch one that just missed him.

"Warm baths afterwards for both of you." Catelyn ruled and Benjen nodded his agreement. Robb was reaching for a snowflake when one landed right on his nose.

"I caught one! I caught one!" He cried. Benjen reached up to move the little boy over his head before throwing him in the air and catching him. Robb giggled but Catelyn had clasped his arm tightly.

"He's fine Cat you need to relax." Benjen said with a wide grin.

"Momma momma did you see me!" Robb asked.

"I did my sweetling." She told him and she had to smile at the two of them and their antics. Benjen adored Robb and played with him all the time.

"GET HIM INSIDE BEFORE HE CATCHES A CHILL AND DIES!" Brandon growled Catelyn and Benjen both looked up to where Brandon was on the balcony watching them. "UNLESS YOU ARE TRYING TO KILL MY SON BENJEN?"

"I would die for Robb, I would happily die protecting him, I would NEVER hurt him!" Benjen said rightfully hurt and Catelyn sighed. They had not seen eye to eye since Brandon returned. She wondered if Eddard kept the peace between them, or if Lyanna fought with Brandon so much that Brandon hadn't had the time to fight with him. Or maybe being in that cell changed him more then Catelyn feared.

"Take Robb inside." Catelyn told Benjen.

"But he-" Benjen started upset, and it showed just how young he really was. But Benjen had run Winterfell during the war, kept the peace among northern Lords, fought wildling invaders, and it was hard for him to listen and obey Brandon like he would have before. They were both changed men.

"I will talk to him, go." Catelyn said rustling Robb's hair. Robb looked close to tears and latched onto Benjen tightly. Poor boy he knew Benjen better than her, better than Brandon, and was very attached to him which displeasured Brandon even more.

Benjen nodded he would always listen to Catelyn.

"Baths." She called after them before climbing the stairs to join Brandon. She looked at him gone were the happy smiles of the wild wolf she once knew, she only ever saw them on Benjen's face anymore.

"You looked like a perfect little family down there together." Brandon grumbled.

"Are you really so jealous of Benjen?" Catelyn asked with a laugh. She received only a glare in response.

"Why not? You spend all your time with him."

"If I spend time with your little brother it is because you refuse to spend any time with me." Catelyn said simply.

"Robb worships him."

"Of course he does, Benjen plays with him, I'm the mother who left him and you're the angry man who yells a lot." Catelyn said frankly.

Brandon looked at her with sad eyes realizing that was probably how Robb saw him. "I just want him to be safe, I love him."

"Spend time with him and he will see that." Catelyn said touching his left hand but Brandon quickly moved it away.

"I don't want to ruin him." Brandon admitted. "He is so perfect and I'm…He is the only good thing I have left. " Brandon said.

"The only thing?" Catelyn asked softly.

"I just-" He started but she shook her head willing the tears to not fall.

"You should spend time with him, because he is perfect and if you keep pushing him away he might stop trying, and he is not the only one Brandon." Catelyn told him before going inside and letting her tears fall. This was not how anything was suppose to be and she could not fix it no matter how hard she tried.

Elia was big with child when they gathered to greet Lord Baratheon, he had been gone for a year and a half. No one was more excited to see the ship then Lyanna watching the little boat row. It was painstakingly long. Lyanna had been more surprised than anyone when she was told of maestor Pycelle's crimes, she had thought he was such a sweet old man. She supposed it was not the first time she misjudged a man. Flushing the poison out of her was a hard process. She felt even worse without it, getting sick, and Eddard needing to pour water down her throat as she cursed him and the new maestor every which way she could think of, even a few choice words Brandon had taught her. But after the first few days her strength returned and she felt better then she had since before she gave birth. It did not relieve the weight on her chest for waiting of news of Robert and little Jon.

"I hope he has the boy." Elia whispered to Ashara from where they sat.

"I hope he has Jon Connington in chains." Ashara said simply. "I suppose his severed head would be fine as well." Ashara said with a shrug.

Elia looked over at Gerion Lannister playing with Aegon, Mariah, and Rhaenys. The children adored Gerion Lannister because he always played with them and gave them gifts. His great niece was only a year old but he was trying to get the idea of Cecilia Tully and Aegon Targaryen in everyone's heads, despite the fact that the king was now 6.

Eddard held Torrhen, who at two wanted to go play with the big kids.

As the boat got closer, Lyanna ran into the water. Eddard yelled for her to stop but it was no use and Robert jumped out of the boat to meet her picking her up and twirling her around kissing her. So overjoyed to see her healthy and vibrant. He pulled away from the kiss. "They vanished, I am so sorry Lyanna I was sure I had them!" Robert said.

"You will find him I know it." Lyanna said. "I am very happy to see you, but I am sure Stannis did not enjoy taking your place in Essos." Lyanna said holding his hand as they walked to shore.

"Stannis doesn't enjoy anything, I will take his place after." Robert assured.

"After?" Lyanna asked.

"After we have secured an heir for house Baratheon." Robert told her. Though he had longed to see her reunited with her son, he was happy to have a small rest from his great search. Happy for a little time with the woman he loved.

"Quite the entrance Lord Baratheon." Elia smiled as they made it to shore.

"Welcome to King's Landing my Lord." Aegon said with a small smile.

"Your grace!" Robert greeted the little boy. Robert and Lyanna excused themselves to change out of their wet clothes

"I am worried Eddard. Lyanna's baby will not be a baby much longer he is just a little younger then Torrhen. Soon he will be old enough to listen to the bile that comes out of Jon Connington's mouth." Elia said softly. She and Eddard walked up the steps arm in arm.

"I think I should join the search." Eddard told her.

"After this one is born." Elia said rubbing her large stomach.

"I thought we agreed Torheen was the last." Eddard said with a sigh. He had worried through this whole pregnancy.

"We will have to be more careful, that's all." Elia said looking back at Ashara who was rolling her eyes knowing full well Elia expected a bundle of little Northerners just like Eddard.

Ashara held Jon Arryn's arm as she walked up the stairs with Torrhen on her hip. She assumed like everyone else when she met Jon that he would be an old feeble man but as she got to know him she realized he was always steady and a great man to lean upon.

"I would like one of those soon." Jon Arryn told her watching her play with Torrhen.

"As would I." Ashara said she feared she would never have one and the Arryn line would die because of her. Jon knew, she told Jon everything because he never judged her for anything, he would just stroke her hair and listen. That's exactly what he did when she confessed to him. When she told him that she had Rhaegar's bastard in her belly and she drank moon tea everyday until she had rid herself of it.

People whispered Rhaegar's hatred left that mark on Torrhen Starks cheek. She could not bear to have his child much less love it. She was not the woman Lyanna was. Now she worried the moon tea had soured her stomach and she would not be able to bare a child to Jon. He soothed her, promising he had a little great nephew in the Vale who could succeed him, but they both knew he was a Hardyng and not an Arryn. He was quick to always remind her that she told him this before they married, and he married her fully aware of the risk so she should not be so concerned about it.

"It will happen." Jon assured. "I'm just sure of it." He said with a confident smile.

She slipped on a rock, but Jon kept her from falling.

"You can always lean on me." He assured her.

"I'm getting very used to that yes." She said with a smile.

"It's spring at long last. Everyone seems content with one another, pairing up just like the animals." He teased making her smile.

"Everything is so very happy what could possibly go wrong." Ashara said happily.


	16. For the Sake of the Children

**Sorry for taking forever but I had serious writers block with this story I couldn't decide if it needed to be ended or if it should keep going and I have decided the ride is not over yet and there will be several more chapters now that Eddard and Elia got the throne they still have to hold onto it for little Aegon. As always please let me know what you think by living me a comment I love to read them! I hope you enjoy the story and thank you so much for reading it. Marievoodoo is my amazing Beta!**

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Elia's eyes flickered open as she struggled to stay awake. As tired as she was she was also incredibly happy.

"A beautiful boy." The midwife said as she placed the newborn into her arms. Elia just softly stroked the infant's head until he settled to her breast. He was all Stark in looks, with his dark hair and pale grey eyes.

"Eddard." Elia mused.

"Hmm?" Ned asked, his eyes never moved from his new son as he sat on the side of the bed; his hand mindlessly rubbing up and down her arm. He had said he didn't want any more children but he was so proud of Elia. It was never easy on her fragile body but she always welcomed the challenge to bring his children into the world. He was not sure he met anyone so brave or stubborn.

The warm breeze was welcome in their chamber as it seemed at long last summer was here.

"That is his name." Elia said simply. "My sweet Eddie." She said softly.

"You don't have to." Eddard said as he watched his little son be sated with milk. Little Eddard stretched and yawned and snuggled into his mother to sleep. He already seemed like an easier baby then Torrhen who went from a screaming infant to a troublesome tot that got into everything.

"I want to." She said softly, her beautiful black eyes meeting his. Everyone said Eddard's eyes were cold like ice but Elia always seemed to melt him.

"I wanted a girl." Mariah pouted from her spot in her Papa's lap, her dark ringlets were now down her back. Elia thought she was more of a Dornish beauty each day.

"Careful what you wish for I wanted you to be a girl." Rhaenys said, getting a scowl from her little sister. Rhaenys was getting tall and clever she loved nothing more than reading and teasing her baby sister.

"I love baby!" Torrhen declared. The toddler laid next to Elia in bed looking at the baby. He and the baby could not have looked more different. Torrhen looked all Dornish and this baby seemed to be all Northern.

"Good boy Torrhen. It is a big brother's job to protect his little siblings." Eddard told him.

"Can I hold him?" Aegon asked. He'd grown during Elia's pregnancy. His white hair was getting so long it had to be braided out to keep of his face.

"I want to hold him first!" Torrhen said.

"You're too little." Aegon told him and Torrhen jumped on him. Eddard had to smile.

Jamie pulled the little Stark boy off Aegon holding him up by the back of his collar. "Easy wild wolf. He isn't just your brother, he is your king." Jamie demanded.

"Put him down now!" Elia said. Eddard had been fine with the boys playing but took immediate offense to Jamie grabbing his son. He had slid Mariah off his lap and onto the bed as he stood up when Elia spoke. "You heard her, put my son down now!" Eddard demanded.

"Just teaching him a lesson, Your Grace." Jamie said. He liked Elia and felt he owed her a great deal, and he loved Aegon who he thought would be a great king, but was less fond of Eddard and his little wolves, much less.

"It is not your job to teach Torrhen lessons, it is your job to keep Aegon and his family safe." Elia reminded him with steel in her voice.

"Of course Your Grace." Jamie said simply.

"Get out, the king is plenty safe." Eddard said annoyed.

With a glare send to Stark, Ser Jaime did as he was told.

"Eddard." Elia chided her husband when the Kingsguard had left.

"Brandon said he was there when it happened to my father and he did nothing." Eddard replied quietly. He would never like or trust the Lannister boy and he was certain Elia should have sent him to the Wall.

"I am so sorry for what happened to him you know that Eddard, but what could one 17 year old do?" Elia asked softly.

Eddard just looked to Torrhen who Aegon had protectively pulled into his arms. Torrhen must have been a little spooked to allow his big brother to hold him.

"Are you alright?" Eddard asked Torrhen who happily howled like a wolf.

"Wolves are not so easily frightened." Aegon said to make Torrhen feel good. It did bring a smile to the little boy's face to think he impressed his older brother.

Jon ran the country while Elia was on bed rest after giving birth to young Eddard. Without her his days were much longer and he worked sometimes well into the night. He assumed that was the reason Ashara burst into the Small Council's chamber.

"My lady we are in the middle of-" Varys protested.

"I need to speak to my husband now!" Ashara said. She was not one to back down and Jon got up in response.

"I suppose we can stop there for today, thank you gentlemen." Jon said and they council soon cleared out.

"Thank you for this opportunity my lord." The young man Jon had just appointed as Master of Coin spoke on his way past.

"Of course, Lord Baelish." Jon told the young man. Lysa Tully had recommended him. She was intended to marry Stannis Baratheon in a moon.

When the room was empty, he looked to Ashara. "My love I know I have been inattentive lately and for that I am truly sorry however-" Jon began but he saw the tears well up in her eyes.

"Jon." She whispered before the smile appeared on her face. "I am pregnant Jon." She said happily.

His eyes widened. "You're sure?" He asked. He was trying not to get his hopes up, but the thought quickly brought tears of happiness to his eyes.

She nodded her head happily and he smiled, pulling her close and resting his hand on tenderly on her belly.

"Thank the Gods." He said happily.

"Really?" She mused before kissing him. "Because I was going to thank you." She said smiling, their lips only seconds apart. "I am sure it was that night several moons ago, before Elia had her baby, before you abandoned my bed. That wonderful warm night when you were simply insatiable." Ashara recalled in a husky voice, backing up until she hit the Small Council table. His hands slid down to her hips and swiftly picked her up, and set her on the table before kissing her neck fervently.

"I am not sure if it was I who stoked your fires that night or if it was Jamie Lannister." She teased making him pull away at the mention of Ser Jaime. Lannister had gotten a little drunk when he had joined them for dinner and heavily flirted with Ashara that night.

"You of course, it's always you. Jamie Lannister needs to realize what does not belong to him. " He grumbled making her laugh.

"Kiss me more." Ashara pouted pulling at his jerkin.

"We cannot do too much of that when you are pregnant." He reminded her quietly as he proceeded anyway.

Catelyn walked up to Robb's room and to her great shock found Brandon inside with their son. She watched from the doorway as they interacted. He was knelt next to their son, smiling and laughing. He had a silver ring fashioned into a wolf's head on a chain and kept moving it just out of the boy's reach. Robb would giggle and only tried harder the next time to reach it.

"It was my father's, and his fathers before him. It has been in our family for a very long time. Legend has it, it was given to Bran the Builder by a grateful Baratheon for building Storm's End." Brandon smiled at the boy as he moved it and continued telling his little boy. "It belongs to the Warden of the North, and Lord of Winterfell. It belongs to you." Brandon said, finally letting the toddler catch it. Robb examined it, tracing his fingers around the direwolf.

"But it belongs to you, you're the Lord of Winterfell." Robb said looking up at his father with those big Tully blue eyes. Brandon kissed his sons head.

"You're a very good boy Robb." Brandon told him with a smile. Robb was not a hot head like him, he was a fearless little boy, but very thoughtful for a child. "And I am the Lord of Winterfell. But this ring is always worn on the right hand, and I don't have one of those." Brandon said he pulled the boy onto his knee, grabbing him with his left hand and steadying him with his right. Another thing he had learned to do, to change. No matter what else he could always hold his son and Robb never even flinched when Brandon's stub touched him. Catelyn still did, and so did Benjen. Robb was the only one who did not gawk at it either as everyone seemed to do at one point or another. Robb had only ever known him this way and found it natural. He felt the time he lost with his boy melt away. Robb would never remember it, he was just a babe at the time, and he had been shy around Catelyn and Brandon because they were new and foreign, but that had long since past.

"But I am not the Lord of Winterfell." Robb said slowly sounding out Winterfell in a way that made Brandon smile.

"Not yet no. But you will be." He said taking the chain and putting it around Robb's neck. "So until you are old enough you can wear it on this chain. There it shall always remind you of who you are. You are the next Lord of Winterfell and my son. Never forget that." Brandon said.

"Never." Robb agreed.

"You are such a good boy, did you know that?" Brandon asked, and Robb nodded in response, still entranced by the ring.

"I love you very much, did you know that?" Brandon asked before clumsily tickling the boy with his left hand.

"Yes, Yes!" Robb cried out in laughter as he was tickled.

"What a smart boy." Brandon said he looked up to see Catelyn.

"Apologies my Lady wife I did not see you there. I will leave so you may spend time with the boy." Brandon said politely.

"Don't go Papa!" Robb said, and it broke Catelyn's heart.

"We could all stay as a family." Catelyn said softly as her heart leapt at the idea of the three of them playing by the warm light of the fire.

"I should go. Boring duties to do, enjoy being young Robb." Brandon said jokingly and he scooped Robb off his knee and stood.

"Are you going to sleep in my bed again tonight?" Robb asked. It was the best feeling in the world to share a bed with his father and listen to his stories, and fall asleep to the comfort of his father's heartbeat in the dark of the night.

"If you want." Brandon answered with a smile. Last night as he and Catelyn were fighting, which seemed frequent enough he could not bear to look at her, he had stormed out before realizing he stormed out of his own bed chambers. Instead of deciding to find an empty room in Winterfell without a fire lit, he went to his son, who was so excited to see him and happy to share his bed. Robb was surely the best purest thing in his life.

"I actually need to talk to you, my lord." Catelyn said.

He sighed but did not want to fight in front of Robb. He had no idea how lonely his parents' marriage was and they wanted to keep it that way. At the first wedding ceremony he ever saw he asked if the bride and groom were as in love as his parents and everyone cheered at the sweet boy's remark. Brandon bent down and kissed his son's forehead before straighening quickly.

"I will see you later." Brandon told Robb going out of the room and following Catelyn silently through the halls to their room. He shut the door behind him.

"This had better not be about that rubbish you were saying last night." Brandon told her.

"I just want to take Robb to Riverrun. My father has never met him and I have never met Edmure's wife and child. My baby brother he has a one year old that I do not know!" Catelyn said.

"Fine go to Riverrun, stay as long as you'd like, but Robb stays here." Brandon said.

"What am I to tell my father, he wants to meet him?" She returned.

"Tell him it's too fucking dangerous, or lie for all I care." Brandon said walking past her and over to the fire.

"I will not lie for you! I have Honor." Catelyn said horrified with his vile response as usual.

"Family duty honor!" He said rolling his eyes.

"Do not mock my house!" She snapped meeting his icy eyes from across the room.

"Is that the right order?" Brandon asked leaning on the wall and crossing his arms.

"You know it is!" She snapped, unsure what Brandon was getting to. Her hands were clenched in fists and her knuckles turning white.

"Family comes first huh? Before Honor? " Brandon said coolly. She relaxed her hands while she was left without words, she forgot how brilliant and stubborn he could be when he wanted to.

"And you want that? To be a family, that applies to you?" Catelyn asked softly.

"I'd like to think so." Brandon said, vulnerable only for a moment, before he was stubborn again. "It surely should apply to Robb." He said and she glared at him.

"He is not all yours, he is not all Stark!" Catelyn said. "He is mine too!" She reminded him.

"I am not taking that from you, but it's too dangerous. He is too little to travel, there are bandits out especially as it gets warmer, he doesn't need to travel in the spring when disease runs rampant, and he is the heir of Winterfell and my son, and his place is here!" Brandon spat.

"You are worried over nothing!" she said crossing her arms.

"And you are trying to use my son to hurt me!" Brandon said. Her eyes went wide at the accusation, but she also couldn't make eye contact with him and looked down.

"Admit it, you want me to sit here in agony, missing him."

"Well we know you won't miss me." She said bitterly. "My father is asking me questions I don't know how to answer Brandon. He was very blunt in his last letter. He asked if we have laid together as husband and wife since you returned!" Catelyn spit out. Lord Tully had been digging for awhile now, asking why he had no more grandchildren from her. At first, she would avoid the question but recently she has admitted to him how Brandon has soured since his return and how he wants next to nothing to do with her.

Which was not exactly true. The couple were just desperately out of tune with each other. When he was open, she did not want to hear it. When she came to him, he was in no mood to talk. When he tried to engage in a pleasant conversation with her, she was already fed up with him and his brooding. They never could get the timing right.

"That is none of his business." Brandon insisted.

"But we have not!" Catelyn reminded him.

Brandon's laugh sounded like a howl. "Why Lady Catelyn Tully, are you asking me to fuck you?" He jeered.

"What if I was?" Catelyn asked with her head held high and as much dignity as she could muster.

Silence filled the room and she was surprised she had finally found away to shut him up.

"And here I thought you did not like me." He said with a smirk and she scowled.

Catelyn looked at him. Under his humor was pain. "I-" She wanted to be honest, to bear her soul to him, but she was afraid of being rejected. "I would like more children." She finally said closing her eyes she was ashamed of herself for speaking only one of her truths. Her eyes only snapped open at the sound of his boots against the floor as he walked over to her.

His eyes met her deep blue ones. "Do you want boys or girls Cat?"

"I don't know-" She started. She breathed in deeply, fighting off the urge to step back. Their eyes never left each other when she admitted it. "I'm lonely Brandon." His left hand went to her hip pulling her closer. Her hands went to his face, his handsome face she had fallen in love with. She pulled him down to kiss her. First the kissing was soft and an exploration to familiarize themselves with each other. First her hands went up to grip his strong shoulders and then moved down his chest feeling his muscles. She smiled into the kiss as it got more passionate and she could hear the low throaty noises he would make in moments of passion. Wolf howls, she used to think of them as. She had almost forgotten them, she forgotten how much she enjoyed hearing him make those animal like sounds for her. It made her remember something else he loved, she pulled away from his lips getting an annoyed sound from him until she started kissing his neck which seemed to be a tender spot for her wild wolf. His noises were breathy and happy, and his hand pulled out her loose braid setting her lovely hair free so he could run his hands through it as he pulled at it lightly.

"I never stopped loving you Cat." He whispered in her ear and she stopped and pulled away from his neck, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Never." He promised her. His hand ran through her hair but his eyes stayed firmly on hers. "Not in the Black cells where I couldn't see a thing but I could see you, not through…...not through the worst of it, not even when I came home and was horrid, even when I don't know how to say it Cat I love you." He promised.

Catelyn was shocked. She never heard something so beautiful and it brought a tear to her eye. "Brandon Stark, Now I am sure I want you to fuck me." She said and he laughed wildly with tears in his eyes from bringing back all the memories but now that confident smile was on his face as he shrugged off his tunic as she unfastened it. He started to try and kick off his boots to his surprise she just started pulling his trousers down. "Leave them." She told him.

In truth he longed to see her body but he could manage waiting a little longer. He pushed her against the wall capturing her lips in another kiss she moaned into his mouth feeling his hand glance her thigh as he pulled up the material of her dress. Her eyes opened widely when she felt it, what was still there of his right arm on the inside of her thigh trying to move her legs apart. "Stop stop!" She told cried tensely, she had to move out off his grasp feeling trapped like and animal she pushed him and the offending arm back.

Brandon watched her quickly move across the room, her shoulders up and her arms crossed uncomfortably. Leaving him standing there half dressed, confused, and wanting.

"Are you alright? What the hell happened Cat? " He asked both concerned and confused.

She couldn't bear to look at him much less tell him she was repulsed by _it_ touching her.

"I…it's too much too fast." She told him panicked.

He was still jumbled, a moment ago she told him to fuck him now she was getting hysterical.

"That's alright." He told her.

"It is?" she asked still scared. He felt for the poor girl, she was so out of sorts she was chewing on her hair the last thing he could imagine Catelyn doing.

"Yes it's fine you need time." He promised pulling up his trousers clumsily tying it the only simple way he could with one hand before going over to her.

"You aren't mad?" She asked.

"No Cat I'm not mad." He promised going over to her. She was tense like a wild animal being cornered, so he stopped about an arm's length away, not wanting to scare her.

"Thank you." She said.

"I just want to make sure you are alright, are you alright?" He asked. She nodded in response, looking at the floor. Her dress was caught on itself and looked a mess. She started for the door and he knew she would be embarrassed if anyone saw.

"Wait Cat." He told her and she stopped turning to him in confusion as he walked over to her. "Your dress-" He started to untangle it with his hand but when he moved his stump to help, she stepped back and her nervous eyes met his hurt ones.

"Is that it then? You're disgusted that I am a cripple? Is it truly that bad to you?"

"You caught me off guard?" She said but it sounded more like a question then an answer.

"I assumed you noticed the missing hand!" He said. The joke did not hide the rage and hurt as much as he wanted it to.

"I just wasn't prepared for it to touch me." She admitted.

He shook his head muttered a few curse words under his breath and stormed out.

"Where are you going?" She asked in a whispered tone as she hurried after him.

"TO SEE MY ONLY SON!" He shouted in reply. He was the only good thing Brandon had he was sure of it now and if he could not see him this second, he wasn't sure what he would do.

"Brandon, please keep your voice down!" She begged before he stopped suddenly and turned to her.

"Go see your brother and his wife, stay with your father, but Robb stays here."

She froze in place in the hallway. "Is that an order from my husband?" she croaked. She knew she had hurt him but keeping her from Robb was so cruel. Brandon Stark was many things but cruel wasn't one of them. She saw that in his eyes.

"You are Robb's mother; you will always have a place in Winterfell. I think it is for the best you go at least for a while, perhaps we need time away from each other."

"I will go as soon as I can take Robb." She promised, not one to back down.

"Then we are stuck together." He told her before walking away.

Elia was holding hands with Torrhen, at three she was not worried he would tumble as much as she worried that he would run off. Even as she held his hand he pulled at her to follow a cat. For some reason he loved to hunt after the wild cats of King's Landing.

"That one has wolf blood, I can already tell." Ashara said. Her stomach was now rounded with child. She held onto Mariah and Rhaenys skipped beside her.

"Welcome to the pack!" Lyanna said happily. She carried Eddie on her hip as he happily babbled. Her free hand rested on her small belly. Robert did keep his word to her. He impregnated her and left to find Jon. Lyanna had good news all around. She was pregnant and happy with her husband and best of all they had found Jon and were sailing home according to Robert's last letter.

"I am so happy for you Lyanna, and all your good news." Elia told her as they walked through the keep with Ser Jamie following behind them.

"It's good news for us all." Ashara said. "Your husbands will come home to you, Lyanna's son will return, and my husband might just get his head out of that blasted map of Essos." Ashara teased.

"I think of reuniting with them each day." Lyanna admitted shyly.

"And what of you Elia, do you long for your Ned?" Ashara teased her dear friend.

"Not in front of the children Ashara." Elia reminded.

"Not in front of me either please." Lyanna said disgusted even thinking of Ned's love life.

"I do hate when he is gone." Elia admitted.

"Me too." Rhaenys told her mother and Elia bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead.

"He is a pretty good papa, isn't he?" Elia asked and Rhaenys nodded her head in agreement. She remembered Rhaegar, though her mother thought she did not. She remembered him coming and stealing away her brother and she would never forgive him for it.

"Papa?" Mariah asked looking up to her mother.

"Papa will come back soon." Elia promised her little daughter. Poor Eddie was only five months old and would have no memories of his father. Eddie looked like him more and more each day, with his brown hair and grey eyes.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Torrhen called to her, pointing out the window. Elia turned and when she saw it, her eyes went wide and she rushed to the window. The other women followed to see all the ships in the harbor being burned by the Greyjoy fleet, the stench of burning bodies filled the city.

Elia quickly handed Torrhen over to Ashara. "Torrhen, Mama needs you to be a good boy and go with Aunty Ashara, okay?" Elia told him before turning to Lyanna and Ashara. "Take the children to the Maegar's Holdfast. Ser Jamie will take you."

"What about you?" Ashara asked.

"I will join you when I find my son." Elia said

"He will be there waiting for us, we need to go." Ashara urged.

"Yes, they would have evacuated him first." Lyanna agreed.

"No, I need to know he is safe." Elia said clutching her stomach, she had a bad feeling in her gut.

Ser Jaime waved over the castle guards nearby.

"You four, take the king's mother and her children and companions to the Holdfast." Jamie said before looking to Elia. "He is probably already there but I will go look for him."

"Thank you." Elia said squeezing the young knight's hand.

"You are his mother if your instincts say he isn't safe I believe it." Jamie said before running off.

Elia took Eddie putting him on her hip and taking Torrhen's hand. His mother was the only person he seemed to half mind.

Lyanna took Rhaenys' hand as they ran as quick as they could with pregnant women and children through the keep. Up ahead they heard the clash of swords, as they moved faster and just as they were about to round a corner two Greyjoy men came out in front of them and quickly dispatched three guards.

"Hello Ladies." Euron Greyjoy greeted before he finished the last guard off his blade.

Eddie started crying though Elia hushed and bounced him, and she had pulled Torrhen against her so he could not see the slaughter. Ashara and Lyanna covered the girls' eyes.

They could not run because behind them were two more men.

"Why are you here?" Elia demanded.

"Simple. Because Lord Baratheon and Lord whatever title you get when you fuck the king's mother took the young fighting men all away and we have decided to declare our independence. What better way then to destroy all the ships here and at Lannisport before taking a royal hostage?" Euron said he stepped closer to them.

"Purple eyes." Euron greeted Ashara. "You must be Ashara Dayne. I was told you were the most beautiful woman in the world, and maybe you were before you were impregnated, but I bet you still feel nice." He said twirling her hair.

Lyanna tried to push him back and he grabbed her wrist. "Well aren't you the wild one, must be the Stark girl." Euron said with a smile.

"Leave them both alone now!" Elia demanded, and he let Lyanna go before stalking over to Elia.

"My lady the king's mother." Euron said with a sarcastic bow. "We meet at last; you see before they got there I knew the brotherhood of the Kingswood, do you know them?" He asked and her eyes went wide. She had not thought of the men bold enough to attack the princess's own party when she was still Rhaegar Targaryen's wife.

"Ulmer told me all about you, the Dornish princess who he stole a kiss from, well and all your jewels. He told me there was nothing in the world like kissing a princess and I have just been dying to find out." Euron said with that horrible smirk of his.

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 **It's not game of thrones if it doesn't get dark right? I did not expect to write so much about Brandon and Catelyn that just sort of happened. Reminder that this is not an older wiser Catelyn like the one we see in game of thrones this is a very young Catelyn who I feel like would be vain like young Sansa and would have trouble with her husband being crippled. No I am not the biggest Catelyn fan but I was trying to be fair to her, thats just how I see her as a young woman. Anywho please let me know what you think in the comments I absolutely love hearing from you guys and I always look forward to you super awesome people that usually tell me your thoughts on each chapter, I always look forward to hearing from you and hope you never change! Thanks for reading!**


	17. Superior Fire

**Surprise** **! Hopefully you have not given up on this story I know it has taken me forever to update it but this chapter was just a nightmare to write for multiple reasons. I am not a hundred percent on it but I am not sure I will ever be. I would love to hear your thoughts on it and the story thus far. Thank you so much for reading and a huge thank you for your patience! Enjoy!**

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Euron grabbed Elia by the back of the neck to hold her in place, as scared as she was, she refused giving him the satisfaction of her screaming, she let go of Torrhen pushing him back to Lyanna who was quick to grab him. Eddie screamed in his mother's arms and she just held onto him protectively.

"You know, I have to tell you he wouldn't be the first baby I've killed." He laughed Lyanna moved forward before the guards could stop her kicking him in the shin Elia tried to get away, but his grip was to strong. She was able to pass of Eddie to Rhaenys who had come forth to grab her baby brother. Rhaenys rocked her brother whispering quietly into his ear the same thing over and over again, the only thing that kept her from crying.

Euron chuckled when he heard it. " _Aegon will save you_?" He laughed. "Unlikely." He said before turning his attention back to Elia. "The next time either of the ladies move, kill one of the children." He told his men.

Lyanna and Ashara froze looking to each other before Elia there were so many children between them and both Ashara and Lyanna had babes in their stomachs to protect. They were in desperate need of help but wherever the kings guard where it seemed like they would not be coming to their aid.

"We all have jewels, take them and go." Elia said strongly she would not allow the vile man to feel like he could shake her.

"Oh, princess you and your lovely ladies offer much more then jewels, but I will take those." He nodded to one of the Ironborn who silently took a sack to Lyanna and Ashara. Lyanna had little to give not one for jewels and took off the leather necklace with a silver weirwood tree she had since she was a girl off and put it into the bag.

Ashara had to drop Mariah's hand momentarily to take off several bracelets on each hand before untying the silver necklace filled with amethysts off of her neck.

Euron pointed to Rhaenys with his dagger and Ashara quickly went pulling Mariah with her as she took the ruby tiara off Rhaenys little head. It once belonged to a young princess Rhaenyra. The necklace Ashara took off her neck and threw into the sack was her grandmothers. The ruby ring off her finger was another princess Rhaenys once and it too was easily discarded but Euron was bored of wealth he desired more. He decided it was time to get his kiss.

He moved to kiss Elia but she pulled away as best she could he hissed angerly grabbing both her wrists tightly in one hand she gritted her teeth from the pain trying not to cry out from it. He turned his dagger quickly and smacked her in the mouth with the handle busting her lip and in her mouth, she tasted blood but she would not quiver and shake in front of him though her children screamed.

"It's alright, everything is fine!" She promised them as she looked around desperate to make sure everything would be ok but there was no escape insight.

"Liar." He whispered in her ear making sure to move his lips against her ear she moved her head away.

"You are stronger than I thought you would be." He told her.

"I have heard that before." She told him before whipping her bloody mouth against the sleeve of her dress.

"My queen mother I look forward to breaking you." He told her. He traced her lips with his dagger sure it would draw tears from her, but it did not he moved it down her chin and neck.

"I do not break. Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken those are my words" She told him.

"Just wait till I am done with you." He said gleefully.

"And my husband's words are winter is coming, when he finds out what happened here he will come for you, Winter will come for you." Elia promised.

"Let your pup come." He told her he let go of her wrists quick to grab her waist his knife hit one of her earrings.

"You are still over dressed princess." He told her.

She took her gold sun earings off first before removing the rings and bracelets and then the simply direwolf locket Eddard gave her that she loved and often toyed with when he was gone, inside of it held locks of her childrens hair, it was the simplest piece she had and her favorite. She dropped it with a heavy heart.

"Good, but you are still too….overdressed." He mused.

Ashara and Lyanna yelled objections, threats, and pleas but it did not matter.

Elia looked to them and they stopped. "Children." She said trying hard to keep her voice even. "Close your eyes." She told them seriously.

"Momma!" Torheen whined the toddler began to understand something was wrong. Mariah the ever-faithful child closed her eyes. Rhaenys pulled Eddie to her tightly before squeezing her own eyes shut though tears already stained her face.

"Keep them close I will know if you don't." Elia said calmly but her hands shook.

"Do not stall your majesty it does not suit you." He mocked.

"Can I tell you something Euron?" Elia asked as she moved her hands to the back of her dress where the corset tied she struggled to even find the knot he pulled her to be infront of him so he could motivate her by running his dagger down her back while his other hand secured her waist.

"Hhhmmm?" Euron asked.

"I have been held hostage in a place I considered my home before in front of my children before, I felt so helpless before, and I swore to myself it would not happen again, I swore the next man who hurt me would regret that choice. I swore I would not be powerless when another man like you came along" Elia told him, and he laughed.

He moved his head down to nuzzle her hair moving the sun and spear pin in her hair. "There are no men like me your grace." He laughed, and she took the opportunity to fix the pin but instead she pulled the spear out letting the golden sun dropp and sticking the sharp ornate little spear pin. He turned her to face him he wasn't sure what was going on but he was done playing with his food. In the same moment with all her strength she ran the sharp pin into his neck and out again, he couldn't quiet scream but made a agonizing coughing noise as blood poored out. She hissed feeling his dagger go into her back but she was abled to get out of his clutches and he feel to the ground.

At The same time Elia removed her pin Ashara unsheathed the dagger holstered on her thigh stabbing the guard behind her. Lyanna turned quickly to see the ironborn guard had unsheathed his sword she quickly butted him and grabbed his sword stabbing him with it. She turned to defend them from the other guards but the other two seemingly decided Euron dying meant they were free and decided to run.

Elia only gave a glance to the dying monster who laid on the floor wriggling in agony as he bled profusely. "The world is full of men like you." She gasped breathing deeply her health was frail for the exersion. She quickly turned grabbing up her children in a tight hug. "Everything will be okay!" She promised them.

"We have to move." Lyanna said.

Elia took Eddie into her arms and held Torrhen's hands Mariah and Rhaenys were able to keep up as they quickly moved through the keep.

They finally made it to the holdfast. Aegon looked much older than he was as worried as his little face was, he ran to them.

"Everything is fine!" Elia promised him.

"It will be once you see the maester." Lyanna said ushering him over.

"Where is Jon!" Ashara cried. Varys shook his head softly and she was inconsolable even as tales of his heroism came to light, how he defended the king to his last breath how if it was not for him the king would have been taken or killed with the rest of his present kingsguard had help not arrived. Ashara would hear next to none of it and was given poppy wine to soothe her as they worried, she would miscarry the last of the Arryn line.

"Mayhaps the children should be given something to help them sleep." Elia said. Torheen ever resilient jumped around the floorboards he never really understood what was happening. Neither did Mariah but just a little older she was asking her septa what this was all about and who the horrible men were, to which no one seemed to have a good answer, and everyone tried there best to distract her.

Rhaenys was silent and sat next to her brother little king Aegon who had his own trials and traumas and they just sat together with clasped hands together both with wide purple eyes and no words of comfort to say.

The Maestor nodded as he tended to her wounds Lyanna stayed by her side.

"Thank you for what you did for my children today." Elia told her she would have to say the same to Ashara when she woke.

"I would say you inspired me your highness, You reminded me I am more then a victim of horrible men like that." She said and Elia smiled.

"Sister." She corrected.

"I never thought you would like even if we are sisters, after what I had done." Lyanna admitted she played with her hair nervously she was still so young, and it showed.

"Rhaegar was going to explode with or without your help, I am glad there was some distance between him and my family when it happened, so he did not destroy my children with him. I understand how he was Lyanna, how charming and manipulative he could be. I never blamed you." Elia promised.

Lyanna smiled as if a fear of hers was gone she gently squeezed Elia's hand.

"I'm glad Ned is married to you, your good together." Lyanna admitted.

The thought of Eddard made Elia's eyes widen. He was going to be livid when he found out what transpired while he was gone.

* * *

"You are going to leave me in the riverlands to die!" Cersei declared dramatically with an angry look. Edmure chuckled at the accusation from where he laid in his bed, he did not have to open his eyes and look up to know it was his wife standing over him, but he did so anyways. He reached up taking first Tommen before baby Hoster from her arms.

"I am only following my king's commands." He promised as he helps Celia get up on the bed she had her mothers fight and happily tried to hit her father with a pillow. Edmure chuckled pulling it from her. Tommen pulled baby Hoster close he was a very sweet and careful child.

"So you are abandoning me and the children for an nine year old." She grumbled.

"I am not abandoning you, besides the ironborns arrogance threatens us all, Euron Greyjoy threatened the kings mother and siblings while Victorian Greyjoy tried to kill or capture the king, they need to be put in their place." Edmure assured his wife.

"And you have to do it?" Cersei accused but her pout betrayed her showing how worried she was for him. He pulled her into his arms pulling the children close with his other arm.

"I have experience with Ironborn I can handle it. But it won't just be us, Lord Baratheon, Lord Stark,Lady Ashara Arryn and the Martells are sending men. It was Lysa's husband Stannis who broke the rest of their fleet while his brother was away."

"Well you ought to sing Celia's praises should Eddard stark be near; she would make a very pretty queen." Cersei decided. "And you ought to be hand because of the Lord of Justice's brother." Cersei grumbled.

"Brandon Stark did not tell my sister to leave she decided to." Edmure reminded. "She should be here soon and keep you company through the war. " Edmure said his wife gave him a look that said that would not be helpful.

"There is nothing vile enough you could do to me that would make me admit defeat and abandon my children." Cersei muttered to her husband.

"I know, it's one of the reasons I love you." He said making her smile.

"You know I am right." Cersei told him. "He should name you?"

"And who said Lord Stark would choose the next hand?" Edmure asked he watched his wifes eyes gleam.

"Do you truly think a woman runs the seven kingdoms?" She asked softly her hand brushed her daughter hair the boys were fast asleep. The boy's mother was the regent after all, but her father always told her female regents are figureheads only the clever see where the power truly is. She assumed it would be the regent's husband. The idea that it was actually Elia was exciting to her, she who always wanted to be equals with her twin brother but never was especially not in her father's eyes. It made her happy seeing even with two male heirs Edmure just doted on Cecila.

"I do not know, but I know if anything did happen to me and father I would not have to worry, you would protect our children and the riverlands and run them well while our son was a boy, I have every faith in you." He promised getting a kiss on his cheek.

"I will miss you." She finally admitted she thought admitting it would feel like a defeat for her and a victory for him but it did not, she felt an instant relief by letting the words go. But not nearly the warm feeling she felt when he said. "I will miss you Terribly Cersei, you and these children are my world."

* * *

Robert got to go back to Kingslanding to bring the boy home safety where Eddard though he was desperate to see Elia and his children pushed on to go to the ironislands to bring justice to Baylon Greyjoys rebellion. Balon had hoped the voyage around Westeros would prove to much for the Master of laws and the Baratheon fleet but they were up to the challenge.

Robert's return to the capital was joyous especially because he was with a little dark-haired boy who clung to his leg. Lyanna ran out to great them her stomach was now swollen with her child. The boy peaked at her from behind Robert.

"It's alright boy, this is your mother." Robert told him pushing him forward.

The child quickly scrambled back behind his protector. "She is pretty." He said softly.

"I thought so to when I first met her but she is much more than that, why don't you go meet her." Robert said softly and the boy walked forward softly he gave a little bow making her smile tears fell from Lyanna's eyes. "Oh Jon! My sweet Jon." Lyannna said pulling him into a hug.

"My name is Visenyen." The boy told her softly she looked into his brown eyes there was something sort of purple. She had prayed the boy would be all her with no trace of Rhaegar. Looking him over now he was not Rhaegar, but he was not her either. She decided right then she would get to know him and love him for who he was. He was already pulled away from everything he knew who was she to take his name too.

"Alright Visenyen." She agreed softly. "I am Lady Lyanna Baratheon, but you could call me mother if you liked." She said offering him her hand he seemed weary of it.

"Lets find you something sweet to eat." She said deciding he had to be hungry.

"Thank you lady Lyanna." He said sweetly taking her hand.

"Give it time." Robert said softly as he walked by her side.

"He seems very found of you." Lyanna noted only slightly jealous.

"I'm not the scary one." Robert said simply it was why he brought him instead of Eddard he could see her look of confusion.

"Jon Connington has always had a mouth on him, and he said some choice things that got him stabbed in the eyeball by your brother." Robert said softly. Lyanna looked up at him in shock and disbelief.

"Not Ned." Lyanna said.

"It was in the heat of battle besides he said he was going to kill the boy if it meant keeping him from us and if you call a man's wife a ' _Dornish cunt'_ well you are sort of asking for it aren't you?" Robert said quietly making Lyanna giggle.

"You are terrible Robert." She told him but for all his lack of social graces he risked his life to save her boy, he was brave, and quick to forgive she decided he was better than ten singing prince's.

* * *

 **I saved Ned's reaction for next time because alot happened in this chapter.**

 **The decision for the girls to save themselves was something I went back and fourth on but I did not want these clever, strong, resourceful women to be just painted as damsels that need constant help. Besides I would like to think the instinct and adrenaline to protect their children kicked in.**

 **Cersei and Edmure are just cute to me!**

 **I too wanted a big warm happy lovey scene for Jon and Lyanna meeting but it did not feel right after all that Jon went through.**

 **I hope you enjoyed let me know what you think and a HUGE thanks to all those who have reviewed! Thank you for reading.**


	18. Summer Returns With the Wolf

**I was really going to draw this out but I have decided to go with the more natural course the story seems to be going in. So even though it's sad for me there will only be a few more chapters. This chapter was hard to write and I would enjoy to know what you thought. I was going to add more military stuff about the rebellion but I went away from that. Thanks for reading.**

"Explain it to me again?" Edmure asked his wife he had just arrived home earlier in the day and had to be a good lord in waiting and only now had time to eat alone with his beautiful wife but he was more interested in Cersei's tales from Riverrun while he had been away.

"Your sister showed up sooner then we imagined, and she arrived with her husband we all assumed she was leaving." Cersei said again Edmure had wondered about Catelyn's absence earlier today but he thought she might be crying over her boy in her rooms somewhere but that seemed not to be the case as he was sure he would have noticed Brandon fucking Stark.

"I need to stay at Riverrun I will be coming as soon as possible." Edmure repeated the words from his sisters brief message. "Catelyn's handwriting is usually pristine and perfect but it was sloppy?" He remembered.

"Well she wrote it in a hurry, when news from the capital reached them Brandon was determined to get to Kingslanding because he was worried for his sister. Catelyn did not want him to go alone because….well of what happened to him last time he went to the red keep to for Lyanna Stark and to make sure he did not kill himself getting there and took stops along the way. Isn't that romantic!" Cersei asked making Edmure chuckled he sometimes forgot how young she was because of how deeply clever she was.

"I think it would have been more romantic if they stayed safely in their far-off fortress away from all the chaos." He said getting a short glare from her.

"Well they must have thought so. They will be staying here on their return as well and will stay here until after she has her baby." Cersei mused enjoying his shocked look.

Edmure tried to wrap his head around all of this. "Why didn't she say he was coming with her?" Edmure asked.

"Brandon did not want it to get out that the lord was away from Winterfell." Cersei explained.

"I cannot believe they are having a baby; they could not stand each other and now they are having a baby." Edmure said.

"You would if you were here and could _hear_ them, they stayed for two nights on their rush to the capital you would think they would have gotten some sleep." Cersei said annoyed but she quickly became amused at his disgusted look as he pushed his plate away.

"You heard them?"

"The whole castle must have." Cersei told him.

"Oh gods father-"

"Your father must be deaf or have the grace to block it out. He was so happy to see your sister; I had thought he liked me but I am nothing compared to how he dotes on your sister." Cersei said simply.

"Father adores you." Edmure reminded he was surprised how close they became but he understood cersei never had a father like Hoster Tully who cared how you felt and what you thought. He missed his daughters dearly and Cersei as well as her children were a good distraction for him.

"You have a good father." Cersei agreed. "He had wished to see Catelyn and Brandon's boy, but they thought it too dangerous to make the journey."

"Do either of them care about the scare they gave us?" Edmure asked Hoster Tully cursed like a fishwife for a week when he thought his favorite daughter was coming home miserable.

"Brandon laughed." Cersei told him they shared a look of annoyance.

"Of fucking course, he did." Edmure growled.

"The children missed you terribly." Cersei told him she would never tell of the hours she spent in the sept asking the mother father and warrior to bring home Edmure.

"I missed them too." Edmure said he could not mention his children without smiling. Cecila was clever like her mother, Tommen was so kind and gentle. Little Hoster seemed to be turning into a wildling before there very eyes he reminded him something of Uncle Brendon.

"I wanted three children, two boys and a girl. Father would say an heir, a spare, and something to sell just in case."

"I'm not selling my daughter all my banner men will want her but only a man of great character that she in turn wants will have her." Edmure said his wifes beautiful green eyes were wide with surprise.

"Hhhmmm." Cersei mused looking off as she did when she was deep in thought.

"What are you thinking of?" He asked.

"That you're the only man I could ever imagine having a fourth child with. I think I want another." She said he stood up so quickly he knocked his chair over she giggled as he put her on top of the table before he quickly captured her mouth.

* * *

Eddard practically marched through the red keep he missed his family terribly, but he could not bring himself to a different path. Jamie Lannister crashed into the wall before he truly understood what was happening. Jamie tried to push Eddard off of him but the northern had him pinned and one of Eddard's hands had a tight grip on his neck. "How dare you leave her, you left women and children alone when there was a monster in this castle a monster who enjoyed harming women and children! You don't deserve to wear your white cape!" Eddard howled.

"Let him go." The firm voice of his wife called from behind him, but Eddard did not. Her hand gently touched his back lovingly. "I told him to go find Aegon, he was following my orders." Elia told him. She was not one to pass blame or to shrink from anyone's rage even his.

Eddard grudgingly let him go Jamie was usually one for snarky comments showed his young age stumbling away from the enraged wolf who looked as though he would have no qualms about tearing Jamie apart as a direwolf would, his eyes which Jamie always considered cold and judge mental looked more like Valyrian steal.

Eddard though not calm embraced his wife. Robert had been the one who told him that Euron Greyjoy tried to take his wife captive they had no specifics except that all his children survived though other men women and children had not been so lucky including the small council. Aside from that he only had Euron's ghoulish reputation to go off. He wanted to know so badly he found himself listening to gossip and hearsay across the world to know what was going on. He took his men to the Iron islands he lead one of the assults himself and when Euron bent the knee Eddard did forgive the offense he gave Baleon to choses take the black or he would take his head. Euron decided to die instead of Serve. His only living son was to be a ward of the crown until he was older and until then the boys mother and her brother would run the iron islands in his place. All the way back Eddard had to worry not knowing what really happened. It wasn't until the capital he heard Jamie Lannister abandoned his wife and young children.

She grabbed his hand and lead him out of the busy hallway Dornish soldiers followed her. When they were stopped in Dorne on the long journey to the iron islands he was promised Dornish support was being sent to Elia in the capital.

She shut the door of their chambers leaving the guards outside.

"Where are the children?" Eddard asked.

"You may see them once you are calm, you do not want them to see you like this. "She said going towards him and he knew she was right on that front.

He looked into her big black eyes and let it set in that she was alright she had survived. One of his rough hands gently caressed her face the other grasped her thick dark hair. He felt slightly calmer but his love for her could not blind his duty. "Send the Lannister boy to the wall Elia." Ned said simply.

"He was following my orders." Elia reminded. "I need him to protect Aegon and we had other guards." Elia said simply.

"And how long did they last? You could have died Elia! Our children could have died! My sister, her baby, Ashara and the last Arryn all could have died. Can you not think of that!?" Eddard reminded he was not sure she realized how scared he was for them how angry he was that he had not been there to protect them, he thought all the way to the iron islands how lost he would be without his Elia.

She moved away from his touch. "Aegon could have died! The throne room was were their strength was and it became a battlefield they broke into the small council chamber, all but two of the kingsguard are dead! All the members of the small council besides yourself, Varys and Maestor Pycelle are dead along with countless others who tried to protect the king, some who tried to flee, or the poor serving girls who tried to hid, they all died downstairs where my son was! Ser Selmy tells me Aegon was brave, that he picked up Jon's sword to defend himself, he also tells me he was leading a counterattack at the kings command and if Jamie did not show up when he did Aegon would be dead or worse!" Elia told him strong as ever.

"You made a lot of hard choices, it's not my place to question them. You know I love Aegon, you know I wish more than anything I was here for all of you!" Eddard said she smiled wrapping her arms around her handsome husbands' neck. She was sure neither of them could really stay made at each other for very long, it was just not their way.

"We are better together; people always try to divide and conquer us when we are apart." Eddard said softly.

"Yes, and here we are." Elia mused kissing her husband slowly treasuring every second of how he felt and tasted.

Eddard was much more impatient picking her up and carrying her to the bed putting her on it and pulling at her dress until he got her bosom free so he could lick, kiss and suck at them soliciting moans from his wife. "It's good to know you missed me." She mused.

Her legs parted for him and he looked up at her. "Is this alright?"

"This is always right." She promised.

The castle had been refortified the guards had been resupplied and then doubled but she hadn't truly felt safe until now in his arms.

By now they were experts on each other of how to pleasure each other but it took them a few times before they were sated.

"We should get cleaned up and go see the children." Elia said kissing her husband before turning she felt his hand touch the scar on her back.

"Elia." Eddard breathed softly.

"How many scars do you have for your family my love? I will proudly bare this one." She said returning to his arms and kissing up his chin.

"How are you so good at calming me down?" Eddard asked.

"Because I like you best without anger in your eyes." She murmured against his neck.

"I think I am best with you." Eddard mused.

Elia smiled before going to get a new dress.

"How are the children after the attack?" Eddard asked as he pulled himself together.

"They are your children and they are strong, but Rhaenys was having nightmares but they seem to pass. Aegon seems to push through it all he has done his best since the attack to strength the castle and take care of his family. He is trying his hardest to be you." Elia said glancing at her husband who couldn't help but smile softly he loved all his children but Aegon would always be his first son just as Rhaenys was his first daughter. Mariah was the first child to share his blood, Torheen was his little survivor, and Eddie was the baby.

As soon as they went to the nursery Eddard happily took Eddie into his arms who squirmed and cried and reached for his mother.

"It will take time." Elia told him softly pulling her son back to her Eddard nodded trying not to be hurt.

"You can hold me papa!" Mariah told her father making him smile he grabbed her up in his arms kissing her head.

"Don't forget about me!" Rhaenys insisted running into his arms he moved Mariah to one side so he could pick Rhaenys up in his other arm as Torrhen jumped on his back. "I could never forget about you." He promised Rhaenys before looking back at Torrhen on his back.

"Or you my mighty little wolf." He promised Elia laughed while he played with the children before letting them all down looking at Aegon who just stared at him and then nodded. "Lord Eddard." He greeted.

Eddard bowed his head. "Your grace." He said back his eyes flickered to Elia who also knew not what he was doing. Finally, after a long silence Aegon ran to Eddard hugging him and crying softly though he tried to hold the tears back. "I wanted to protect them I was supposed to protect them but-"Aegon cried.

"Shhh it's alright Aegon."

"I am the king and I couldn't protect my own mother!" He muttered.

Elia moved towards him, but Eddard gave her a look to tell her he had this. "Aye you're a king but you are also a boy. It isn't your job yet to protect the family it's mine, mine and your mothers and as you can see, she's very good at it." Eddard said making his wife smile.

Aegon gave Eddard a hard look. "Do you love me?" Aegon finally asked.

"Of course, I love you." Eddard promised hugging the boy again in a tight embrace. "I watched your first steps Aegon, I carry a lock of your and your brothers and sister's hair with me into battle, you children and your mother are my whole world." He promised.

"Don't leave us ever again!" Aegon asked.

"My beautiful boy, Ned left to protect his family." Elia assured.

Aegon looked at his mother with hurt purple eyes. "If he wants to protect his family he should stay with the family!" Aegon told her Eddard felt as though he was stabbed in the chest.

"And what about your half brother? Does he not deserve protection? And then he went to fight a war for you, the second war he has fought for you Aegon" Elia reminded.

Aegon hung his head feeling bad about being selfish. "I am sorry Eddard."

"It's alright Aegon, can I tell you a secret?" Eddard asked and Aegon nodded quickly. "I wish I could always be with you and are family, I hate being away from you too but sometimes I must." Eddard told him and with a heavy heart Aegon seemed to understand.

Eddard looked to ser Selmy and Ser Jamie standing behind their little king.

"We will need five new members of the kingsguard."

"There are not great prospects on that front, not with all the death of war. It seems the days of legendary knights are over." Ser Selmy said simply.

"Then we will have a tourney to find who is the most suited to the task, I have no need for legends. I have need for the best suited to protecting my son." Elia told them.

"I do not think seven guards are enough." Eddard admitted.

"It has always been seven!" Ser Selmy said obviously hurt by the accusation that they could not protect the king.

"If you cannot protect the king and his family it is not." Eddard said simply he picked up a doll trying to catch Eddie's interest with it.

"We also need to fill the small council." Elia reminded. "I will take your suggestion for Master of ships and master of coins, I know who I want for my sons hand, I need someone trust worthy that is not afraid to bend the rules for my son."

"Your brother?" Eddard asked concerned.

"I was thinking your brother, but he refused he wants to get back to Winterfell. Besides people see you as a northern man and me as a dornish woman the hand should be neither." Elia admitted.

"Who then?" Eddard asked.

"Lord Leyton Hightower he is a good man a strong man and when he answered Rhaegar's call to arms he asked that my children and I be spared. And he's one of the most cunning men I know." Elia said if it were not for Olenna Tyrell he would have easily taken over the reach.

"I unhorsed him at a tourney at storms end he was a good man." See Selmy remembered.

"How do you know him?" Eddard asked Elia.

"Baelor Hightower his son was once considered as a betrothed for me when I was young."

"Were going to see breakwind!" Oberyn said gleefully as he walked in with Brandon Stark. "You like him stark, he's honorable like you, not someone you would want to sit beside at dinner." Oberyn teased the children ran to their uncles.

Brandon picked up Mariah who was almost Robb's age while Rhaenys and Eddie pulled at his legs. To the kingsgaurds dismay Oberyn had tossed Aegon in the air catching him. "Me next!" Torrhen cried happily.

"Thank you for coming to my family when I was not there." Eddard told his brother who nodded.

"I've brought men who will stay in the capital as you and you families guard, you're a stark from winterfell."

A thought crossed Eddard. "How did the grand maestor and lord Varys live were they not present?"

"No, they were in the throne room and were pushed back into the small council chamber they must have escaped." Ser Selmy said simply.

"They should both be executed for abandoning the king." Eddard said firmly.

"We have a large number of positions to fill it will be more difficult if you start executing people currently in them." Elia told him.

"Lord Varys and Maestor Whelm have done nothing to me?" Aegon said simply.

"They should not have left you they should have tried to save you or take you with them." Eddard told him.

"But I was saved, by Ser Jamie." Aegon said he smiled up at the Lannister who could not help but smile at his little king, the stark pack Jamie could do without, but the little king was a precious child and Jamie cared for him dearly.

"Ser Jamie should be questioned for his own actions." Eddard said deciding they all should be held accountable.

Aegon looked up at Eddard hurt. "When the bad man knocked Lord Jon's sword out of my hand Ser Jamie killed him and six other men to get to me. He put the sword back in my hand and took me to Maegors holdfast, he took a spear to the side protecting me. He promised he would get me through it safely and he did. He is my friend and I won't let you hurt him either." Aegon said.

"Spoken like a king." Elia mused but Eddard was much more moved by Aegon's words then by the small account ser selmy had given Elia. Eddard looked to Ser Jamie.

"Thank you for serving your king well, I am sorry for judging you to quickly." Eddard admitted.

"Again." Jamie said trying to act like Eddard starks approval meant nothing.

"I may not like you Lannister but you have proven loyal to Aegon and it seems him to you, so you have my respect." Eddard said simply.

Elia smiled happily. "No more business for now, for now we will spend time with the children." Elia declared.

"Elia I will try the guilty I want to get to the bottom of this." Eddard said swiftly.

"Tommorow my love." Elia said simply.

* * *

In a few months' life came after war first in the capital Ashara Dayne gave birth. After 12 hours she finally had a healthy babe placed in her arms. The nursemaid who swaddled the babe was silent. Ashara herself unbundled the baby to face her fate. "I have failed my husband." She said a tear came from her eye as her baby girl wrinkled in her arms. "His name will disappear." She whispered softely.

"No, no!" Elia demanded. "You are a dornishwoman and in Dorne women keep there birthright and you will teach your daughter to protect hers with the strength of Nymeria herself." Elia told her friend squeezing her hand.

Ashara smiled at her daughter. "Jon said he would not mind a girl; he rather liked the idea of a little girl to spoil. He told me of the strong Arryn women before her." Ashara mused. Letter that day she declared her daughter born with blonde hair like Jon and her own purple eyes would be called Sharra Arryn named after a wise Arryn queen who gave up her son's crown to the Targaryen's to save her people and her son. She had even offered herself in a marriage pact to Aegon the conqueror though he refused any wife besides his sisters. Ashara hoped for better for her daughter even being bold enough to tell Aegon when he first came to see her that she may one day be his queen. Aegon scrunched up his nose at the squealing baby and looked at Elia in disgust as if to ask if he had too.

Elia brought the news to Eddard of the second birth that occurred in Stormsend. Lyanna gave birth to a healthy Baratheon named Steffard Baratheon born black of head and strong of lungs.

Eddard smiled as he played with Eddie in the gardens, he had been desperate to bond with the littlest stark and Eddie tolerated his presents as he toddled around unsteadily but as soon as he saw mommy, he ran to her.

"Is she well?" Eddard asked.

"Recovering quickly." Elia promised.

"And how is our babe?" Eddard asked shocking his wife.

"How did you know?" Elia asked making her husband chuckle.

"I have a true talent for getting you pregnant." Eddard said with a smile but he grew more serious maybe even a little hurt. "Why did you not tell me." Eddard asked elia sat next to her husband on the garden steps as they watched their boy chase a butterfly.

"You were not happy about Eddie." Elia recalled.

"I was thrilled when he was born. I just worried for your health Elia, I am not going to say your weak because I know you aren't but your health lulls at times however desperate you try and hide it."

"I know." She said leaning against him the sun was radiant as summer was in full swing. "But I wont ever drink moon tea again, I can't." she told him simply.

"I'd never make you." He promised he knew how traumatic it was with Torrhen how the mark on his face pained her because she blamed herself for its placement on her son's cheek but she was put in an impossible situation at the time.

"I secretly love it, having your children, our own wolf pack. I force myself to be strong when I am with your child." She promised.

"Your always strong." He promised kissing her head. "I pray to the old gods I can be with this new child in the beginning." He said miserably looking to his boy.

"Do not torment yourself he no longer sees you as a stranger." Elia said.

"He does not seek me out like the other children do, like he does you when he wants kisses and cuddles." Eddard said he watched the babe that looked most like him swat at a bush gleefully until a wild cat jumped out to scurry away, he started crying and to Eddards amazement ran to his father crying in his arms.

Elia smiled. "Little boys got to their mamas for cuddles and their papas when they are scared." She promised.

* * *

More children were to come in that long blissful summer. Brandon was fidgety in the capital and they made their excuses to depart quickly from the capital. Brandon had with them Theon Greyjoy his newly made ward, someone had to keep him to keep the iron islands in line and Brandon thought it would be good for Robb to have a friend. They stayed for awhile in the riverlands Brandon was careful to move the party along slower with Catelyn expecting he took every precaution. They stayed up late at night talking about whether the baby was a boy or a girl how the child would look and what they would call it like they had when they were first married though they were not those people anymore. He was not the rash lord in waiting nor she a spoil daughter of a great lord, together they were becoming the lord and lady of Winterfell, like everything they faced molded them into who they were meant to become. Brandon was just happy they were coming back together.

Soon they were back in Winterfell Benjen and Robb meet them at the gates.

"Momma?" He asked curiously making the adults around him laughed.

"Mother may have changed but that's because she is bringing you a baby brother or sister to play with." Brandon said patting his son's hair with his good hand. Robb beamed at his father like most boys he truly thought his father was the best man alive which made Brandon try harder to be.

"And we brought you a friend, this is Theon Greyjoy he is going to be our ward." Brandon said the young boys locked eyes on each other as if sizing each other up.

They were shy at first but in the days ahead they started to rough house as boys do. Catelyn did not like it thinking Theon was half wild and Robb was her blessed little boy.

"It will make him tough; you cannot baby him forever." Brandon told his wife as they watched the boys fight in the yard from the balcony.

"Brandon!" Catelyn yelped as Then tossed Robb over into the mud.

"He's fine." He assured watching Robb get up and head but the other boy.

"BRANDON!" Catelyn cried.

"Fine I will go break them up." He told her still watching the boys until she grasped his hand when he saw they state of her he grabbed her up in his arms immediately.

"The baby is coming! Get the Maestor!" He ordered.

In a few hours Sansa was born with a bit of Tully red hair. Brandon instructed them to ring the bells all day in honor of her birth, so his people knew he was just as happy with a girl as he was a boy. Brandon watched from his place leaning on the wall as Robb asked his mother a thousand questions about the baby. "Can I hold her?" He begged.

"After your father." Catelyn said looking up towards Brandon.

"No, no.I will just watched." Brandon said simply.

"You held Robb; you can hold her." Catelyn soothed.

"She is so small and delicate." Brandon said softly.

"Come hold your daughter Brandon." Catelyn said she seemed so serene after the trauma she just went through her skin was pale and her blue eyes were heavily lidded, but Brandon was sure she was as beautiful as ever after having his child. "You can do this." She soothed. Catelyn was always a beautiful girl but he felt so much more bonded to her as the mother of his children and it took him awhile to appreciate it but she was a fine mother who would die to protect their children like a good mother wolf, she even found away to love him through his outburst and tempers they finally seemed to get it right and he was sure that it was mostly do to her.

Robb looked at him two and with both sets of perfect blue eyes on him he knew he could not let them down he went over to them he let Catelyn place the pale but healthy babe in his arms she moved them how she wanted them very purposefully touching his stub in the process.

The baby moved seemingly stretching until she was comfortable and continued to sleep. Brandon almost cried she was so wonderful.

"She looks just like you Cat!" Brandon said gleefully.

"I still love the name we chose." Catelyn said one hand rested on her baby while the other hand wrapped around Robb, she had never been so continent with her little family. She had not thought it possible to fall in love with the same man twice, but she had. Once with the handsome heir to winterfell as a girl, and then again to Lord Stark who has been through hell and came out the other side stronger, who was fiercely loyal and protective of her and her children.

"Sansa is the perfect name." He agreed.

"When can Sansa play with me?" Robb asked like any child would.

"When she is bigger, but you may have other friends soon, I have written Lord Karstark to send his son who is closest to you age and your father and uncle Eddard have discussed your uncles children coming to live at Winterfell." Catelyn said looking towards Brandon she had told him it was a horrible idea and that Elia would not take kindly to her children being ripped from her but Ned and Brandon seemed to have it through their heads that Starks belonged in the North and the children would be safer their but as a fellow mother she thought it was more of a plot. She recalled Elia saying she and Eddard never really fought, she had no idea the fight that was coming.


	19. The Wolf and the Sun

**Are you surprised!? Alot has been going on with me including moving so I am sorry for the long wait.**

 **Also endings are just really hard for me and I wanted to do this one justice. Maybe I should have made it more climactic but to me the story has always been emotion led so I decided to end it the same way. There will be an Epilogue so your not rid of me yet.**

 **Also if you want to see more from me I have a poll going on right now about what pairing I should do next!**

 **Thank you so much for all the support this story got I would love to know what you think of it! Thank you so much for reading!**

 **...**

"Elia you're not being fair." Eddard told his wife he looked back at the door to make sure they were shut he would hate to think the children would hear.

"I do not have to be fair when you say you want to take my children from me!" She shouted Eddard thought his wife had a fierce beauty about her when she came to the defense of her children but he did not dare tell her now she would no doubt dismiss him as a flatterer. "And you are the one not being fair, what is fair about taking a mothers child from her!" She asked. Her eyes narrowed and her arms were crossed over her stomach as though he could somehow take the bump growing there away.

"The Capital is dangerous Elia, this castle is dangerous. They would be safe in the North," Eddard said. He needs to know they were safe.

"You are here, you and I will keep them safe!" Elia said taking his hands into hers.

"They are Starks Elia, they belong in the North. We belong in the north" Eddard said, and she quickly removed her hands from his.

"They are half Dornish, should we send them to Dorne?" Elia asked annoyed.

"How is Dorne safe?" Eddard asked.

"How is the North safe?" Elia told him angry. "How can splitting up our family be safer! Is that what you want for Aegon and Rhaenys to have another father who left them!" Elia said in anger but as soon as it came out of her mouth, she felt bad.

His grey eyes burned in pain. "You know I would never do anything to hurt Aegon and Rhaenys," Ned said slowly sitting down on their bed.

"Ned I am sorry, you are not him and I never should have compared you to him, it was unfair," Elia said softly.

"Now your going to be fair?" Her northern husband asked making her smile softly.

"I am sorry about that; I tend to run hot when it comes to our children's safety," Elia admitted.

"I'm aware," Eddard chuckled. As she sat next to him his hand went to her stomach.

"We should be calm for the baby." Eddard said simply.

"I don't think she likes us fighting, she's been kicking me since we started," Elia said he leaned down kissing her stomach.

"How do you know it's a girl?" Eddard asked.

"I know," Elia assured laying back against the bed and pulling him down with her, he happily embraced her.

"I don't like fighting," Elia said finally.

"Neither do I, especially because it seems unlikely, I will ever win," Eddard teased but she did not smile.

"I cannot force you to stay, and even if I am queen regent of this country, I am still a women and your wife, I could not stop you from taking the children," Elia said her lip quivered and her eyes watered at the thought.

"I would never just take them Elia." Eddard promised.

Her hand fisted a knot in his shirt. "You cannot leave me either Eddard, I could not bare it." Elia said like a whisper. The tears fell from her eyes. "We cannot live apart, we are better together and…..and I am head over heels in love with you Eddard Stark, " Elia said with tears

Eddard wanted to hit himself, even after all these years what Rhaegar did was inside of Elia and she still feared it. He kissed her hard.

"I love you Elia, I will always love you. I am a Stark of the North and that has always meant a lot to me. You mean more and if you want the children to stay in the capital they will," Eddard promised.

" I wish none of us had to stay in the capital but I will not leave Aegon to the lions and spiders." Elia said and Eddard tensed at the thought.

"No, not my boy," Eddard said simply with northern grit behind it because he was damn sure nothing would ever happen to Aegon or Rhaenys not while there was air in his lungs.

Elia smiled. "You run a little hot when it comes to the children too!" Elia teased.

"I do not run hot." He told her not stopping himself from kissing her lips.

"Who was the man who almost ripped Jamie Lannisters head off for not taking care of his family?"

"That's northern justice." Eddard said making her laugh, he kissed her head. "I love you Elia with all my heart I hope you know that."

She played with his hand. "I know," She promised. "I just forget sometimes," She said softly.

"I will remind you," He promised before kissing her.

She took his rough large hand into her delicate soft one. "I know you want the children to know Winterfell and the North, and I want that too. I would be happy for them to visit as long as you took them, but they cannot live apart from me, I cannot and will not let that happen." Elia said.

"Alright." Eddard said using his free hand to play with her hair.

"I know you miss the north too; I am sorry." Elia said and Eddard sighed.

"When did living in the capital become comfortable for you? When did you stop missing your home?" Eddard asked and she looked up at him.

"Never, I miss Dorne every day. It's warm and beautiful, the people there love us, the castles are more beautiful, and the wine is better." Elia told him.

"I'm sorry I never knew you felt that way, the children should visit Dorne too." Eddard decided.

"I'd love for you to see the watergardens, to see where I grew up just as I saw Winterfell." Elia admitted. "I hate Kingslanding but it's where the king lives and I cannot abandon him, but someday he will be a man, and I think he will be a man like you just and firm." Elia told Eddard.

"Hopefully your ability to lead." Eddard told her.

"And he won't need us anymore and want to establish his own independent rule and we can leave."

Eddard smiled at the idea. "Mayhaps between Dorne and the North, the vale perhaps it is where we fell in love after all."

"I think the vale is ruined for me, and as much as I love Dorne I was thinking of something much more remote, like a little holdfast somewhere in the north." Elia says with a small smile.

"I love the idea of that, but you brought up a good point and now I'm not sure I want to be so far away from Aegon, what if he needs me? Mayphaps Dorne, or Rhaenys may let us live on Dragonstone." Eddard said making Elia smile.

"I like that." Elia promised.

Only a few days after this peace was brought about so was the newest Stark. The new Stark was born to her parents concern she was born early and was a small baby. The maestor was optimistic about her chances. Elia watched her little tan daughter lightly make noises you couldn't even call fusses in her husbands arms. The small baby looked even smaller in his arms.

"This is usually when you tell me she is our last baby." Elia reminded him softly.

"That never works." Eddard said never taking her eyes off his daughter.

"You were right, I should not keep tempting fate if something happens to her I will never forgive myself." Elia told him.

His grey eyes looked up at her black ones. "No, if you listened to me we wouldn't have her, and even though I just met her I love her. It always happens but it always baffles me how easily my heart goes to our children. She's going to be fine, she is strong like her mother."

"I have been a frail women all my life Eddard." Elia reminded him.

"Name another woman who has survived what you have? Or man for that matter." Eddard said and she smiled.

"You are sweet." She told him before reaching out from the bed. "Alright give me my baby." She told him making him chuckle.

He sat on the side of her bed as he placed the baby in her arms.

"Why hasn't she cried?" Eddard asked the midwife who had no answer for him. Elia moved her night dress and her little babe was quick to latch.

"She's alright she is just a quiet wolf." Elia said making him smile.

Eddard kissed her head. "Do you still like Serena?" Eddard asked since she would be close in age with Brandon's daughter Sansa who was named after an ancestral Stark they talked about calling their daughter Serena after Serena Stark who was a twin of the first Sansa Stark. They thought it was sweet and both liked the name and had decided that was there name for a girl and Rickard for a boy. When Eddard wrote Brandon to of the news they were expecting Bandon had written back teasing that Ned was worried Brandon would end up with more children which seemed to be his goal. He didn't tell Elia because it seemed like something she would want to compete for.

"Sing." Elia said with fluttering eyes.

"I have no idea why you like that." Eddard said no one had ever thought he had a good voice before her and even as a boy his mother was the only person who could get him to sing. That was until he met his Dornish princess, he would do anything for her.

"I find your voice very comforting." Elia told him as the baby was sated of milk and happily slept Elia laid her head against his leg.

"Alright." Eddard said it was funny to Elia that her shy quiet husband who only spoke when he had something to say would sing to her whenever she desired but Rhaegar who was a renounced singer never sang her a song. She thought delivering his children had been cause enough for a song but when she asked if he would sing a song for Rhaenys he told her he'd make a song from a son but not a daughter, and when Aegon was born he said he already had a song, the song of ice and fire. When he sang it, his beautiful words were hollow and meaningless like their marriage had been.

Rhaegar left her mind as quickly as he entered it. That was almost nine years ago. It seemed like a different life time ago or at least somebody else's cold, formal life.

She laid her head on Eddards lap. He rubbed there baby gently with one hand while the other tangled in her hair. "Which one?"

"The one about the Wolves, we don't have that in Dorne, I think it's my favorite." She mused.

"It was written about our family by the mountain clans." Eddard told her. The more he played with her hair the harder it was to keep her eyes open. She only hummed a content noise in response, her wonderful wit failed her as tiredness consumed her.

"The snow falls down from upon us

but we will be warm as long as blood wont spills

We fear no snow, hail, or gust

Unless the wolves come into the hills

For the wolves have laws we must follow

And the wolves have iron for wills

We cannot feud or disobey the wolves word isn't hollow

They will come bringing the chills"

He murmured into her ear both his girls were happily asleep until the door burst open. Elia pulled her baby close to her out of instinct and the baby fussed softly.

"It's alright." Eddard promised helping her sit back up against her pillows, he knew who it was. The children busted through with guards on their sides.

"You were supposed to wait until I came to get you." Eddard reminded sternly stopping the children in their tracks before looking to ser Selmy and ser Jamie.

"Sorry my lord, kings' orders." Jamie said smugly.

"You decided this Egg?" Elia asked giving Eddard a look he returned, it did not seem like something there Aegon would do, he had been very excited for the baby, but he was more patient then the rest of their children.

Aegon's eyes flickered down before looking at them. "Yes father." He said readily taking the blame.

Torrhen jumped up in down impatiently. "I want the baby!" He whined he was very impatient but he was only 6 and would hardly think up a plain to use Aegon's title to get what he wanted. Torrhen pouted to his mother and she had too look away so he would not see her smile.

Mariah was only seven but she was such a little mother already she held onto little Eddie to keep him from falling. Barely 3 Eddie looked exactly like his father, where Mariah had her mothers, black curles, big lips, and big dark eyes, but she had lighter skin then Rhaenys, Torrhen, and the new little one.

Eddie hugged onto Mariah he did not really understand or care about the new baby he just wanted attention.

"Your mother has been through a lot and she was resting." Eddard said waiting.

"I didn't mean to-I'm sorry momma." Aegon said while everyone claimed he was Rhaegars spitting image Elia saw a lot of his grandmother in him, he had her eyes and heart shaped face, even he even bit his lip like she did.

"And you are going to take a punishment for your actions?" Eddard asked.

Aegon nodded slowly.

Rhaenys could not remain silent, king or not she would always be older then him and she acted like it. "I told him to tell his guards that we were coming in, Aegon was only obeying me do not punish him." Rhaenys said stepping infront of her baby brother, she was tall for 11. She took after her mother aside from her purple eyes. She fearlessly awaited her punishment.

"Always the quite ones." Jamie Lannister muttered getting an annoyed look from Eddard.

"Do not do that again." Eddard told her he was truly to happy to punish anyone for real today. Rhaenys nodded and apologized.

Eddard nodded to the kids and they immediately ran forward.

"It's a girl Mariah." Eddard said watching her smile grow wider.

"She's so cute!" Mariah said gleefully.

"No she isn't!" Torrhen said bluntly.

"Torrhen!" Mariah scolded.

"They are all wrinkled at first, but they get cute, or at least Eddie did!" Torheen told his sister they were to close in age not to fight like cats and dogs. Eddard was hoping they would get along as well as Rhaenys and Aegon but that was not the case.

"When are you going to get cute?" Aegon asked his little brother getting a scowl in response. Torrhen just kept whining to be picked up.

"She's so little. What is she called?" Rhaenys asked.

"We decided-" Eddard started.

"I want to change her name." Elia said whipping away a tear.

"Are you alright?" Eddard asked.

"I was just thinking of an old friend. Someone I couldn't save. Can we call her Rayla spelled R-a-y-l-a" Elia asked.

"What ever you would like love." Eddard said, he lifted Eddie onto his lap. He looked at his children that were always growing and changing and leaving him in all. "You gave me all of them and that's all I need." Eddard promised

Rayla was sickly at first but never as badly as Elia had been in her youth. When she turned three the long summer seemed to be here to stay, they decided a trip was deserved after ruling for seven long years.

A royal progression it was called and though he was young Aegon did exceptionally well with all that, he was polite and brandished his intellect. Every lord who met him sang his praise and Eddard said it was good for them to see him now, at 12 he wasn't so little anymore, he was tall and muscular his master at arms and maestor both praised him. Ned said it was good for them to see the boy king was not such a boy anymore. Lords throughout the riverlands were so impressed with him including the future liege lord of the riverlands and his wife who all the girls thought was the most beautiful women they had ever saw. Everyone who met him thought of him as a man grown.

Elia was less satisfied with that because he was just a boy and her boy. She felt better when they finally arrived at Winterfell where Brandon refused to here any polite talk from a king to his lord and instead hugged his nephew and told him about how cute he was as a baby.

Eddard was so happy to be home and Elia was happy to have a small break from the daily trials of the red keep. They walked arm and arm around Winterfell he told her the story behind every tapestry and statue. They walked out onto the balcony to see the children playing.

Aegon had embraced being allowed to be a boy here, Torrhen threw a snowball at Aegon making him smile and throw one back which began the war. Aegon was older than Torrhen and had an easier time packing the snow and throwing it.

Visenyen seemed to have a thing for helping the weak. "Come on Robb." He called he had become fast friends with the heir to winterfell. Soon both of them were next to Torrhen all three of them pelting Aegon with snowballs and four when Theon joined in.

"Leave him alone!" Rhaenys shouted she threw a snow ball the first missed making them laugh but the second hit theon in the face making Aegon laugh but she was not very much help and when snowballs rained down at them she hid behind Aegon.

Aegon turned to his guards. "Well aren't you going to defend your king and the princess of dragonstone?" Aegon asked.

Jamie and Ser Barristan glanced at each other before joining in.

"Come on Brandon, the young Dragon can have the iron throne but this is Winterfell and Winterfell belongs to the Starks!" Benjen shouted.

"Is that a good idea?" Catelyn asked her husband.

"I can wield a sword with my left hand a snowball shouldn't be a problem?" Brandon said.

"Brandon Stark that is not what I meant!" Catelyn said she was holding little Sansa's hand, she had her younger daughter Alysanne on her hip and a bump grew from their newest child.

"But I have to defend my lady wife and daughters." Brandon teased kissing her cheek.

"Fine!" she relented, and he was off.

Elia and Eddard watched laughing.

"Come on Ned!" Benjen called.

"I am staying out of this!" Ned told him he was happy watching with Elia cuddled up to him.

"When is the last time you have seen Aegon play?" Elia asked happily.

"When is the last time you have seen Rhaenys come to her brothers aid?" Ned asked smiling.

They happily watched until Brandon hit Mariah who was happily playing in the snow unaware of the snowball fight insuing. "DADDY!" She yelped.

Eddard looked at Elia.

"He has earned his fate." Elia said and with that Ned joined the snow fight but in the end Eddard and Benjen ended up tacking each other rolling around fighting and laughing in the snow like they did as children.

Spiced milk was served in the great hall afterwords Brandon told Visenyen about how his mother liked to have snowball fights when they were younger, he told him she would be very pleased with her son.

"Mommy!" Eddie said as he ran to his mother, he was little and Elia had wanted him and Serena to stay inside where they would be warm. Elia caught him in her arms.

"Mommy will you come play?" Eddie asked.

"After dinner my love, mommy is tired she is going to rest."

"Papa!" Eddie said turning to him.

"Papa is going to help mommy rest." Eddard told his son who just pulled on Eddard.

"Where is Rhae?" Elia asked her son. "Can you find Rhae?" Elia asked and Eddie ran after his sister.

After they had found their release, they cuddled up and warm under furs and in each other's arms Elia kissed Ned. "I love seeing you this happy." Elia told him running a hand through his brown hair. He had been smiling since they got in the north.

"I am happy to be home but more then that I'm happy watching our children grow, Aegon is a little man, Rhaenys is so clever and getting more beautiful every day, Mariah is so kind hearted and sweet, Torrhen is a wild wolf like Brandon and I am so glad they get to know each other." Ned said happily.

"Eddie is your little doppleganger, and Rayla is such a happy little toddler she never whines she is all joy and laughs and smiles." Elia said.

"I'm so very lucky to have you, in all Rhaegars madness he gave me the one person I truly need." Eddard said.

"You did not need me, Ned I might not be alive without you and your family's protection, Aegon would not be king without you, Rhaenys and Aegon could have died like Rhaella's little son and daughter. I needed you." Elia told him seriously.

"Don't even say that." Eddard told his wife. "As long as there is breath in my lungs I will not let anything happen to you or any of our children." He promised. "But I needed you too Elia, I love you and only you." He told her he watched the awed expression on her face, she could never keep Rhaegars attention but after all these years she understood that Eddard would never hurt her, he was a man of his word and honor. He kissed her, it was a slow lazy kiss for lovers who had already found their bliss and were cuddling before they went to sleep. He pulled away and her delicate hands went on either side of his face bringing him back to her she smiled as she kissed him, but this kiss was more needy then the last. Suddenly he no longer felt both laid on their sides. He pulled her close and to his endless delight she hooked her leg over his without him asking his hand went to her. Her hand traveled down his chest and further wrapping her hand around his hardening length made him groan out. She moved her hand up and down crashing her lips against his own in a passionate embrace.

He let out a wolf like growl when their lips parted. He had a burning desire for her, but he saw her tired eyes, they had already enjoyed each other twice today and though his wife was very strong of mind her body was always delicate.

"We could just sleep." He offered in a husky voice.

"Never!" She declared unbowed unbent unbroken. She kissed him soundly while taking his hand to her chest and enjoying the animal sound he made as his blunt fingers twirled a crossed a hard nipple. His other hand guided her hip as he went inside her. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she bite his shoulder making him howl in pleasure and trust hard into her making her head roll back in pleasure. "Ned!" She gasped she rocked her hips back in forth making him burn as she made this little delectable noise. He couldn't help but stare at his princess in her pleasure, he thrusted sharply again to add to her merriment.

"She made a whinny noise as she matched his thrust he could tell she was close, it wasn't hard for him to bring her to bliss, he wondered if it was because she was such a creature of love, beauty, and warmth he continued to thrust into her with stamina until she finally found her bliss. He began to pick up his pace thrusting into her faster, he had quite the stamina, but he was undone when she decided to give his ear a little teasing lick.

Once they parted, he rolled onto his back pulling her into his arms. He placed several loving pecks to her head while one hand combed through her luscious hair and the other rubber at the small of her back. He watched her bat her eyes tiredly, her head laid against his chest her delicate fingers mindlessly made patterns against his skin.

"What's that noise?" She asked closing her eyes.

He couldn't help but smile when he stared at the glorious women he married as she drifted to sleep in his arms.

"It's just a summer snow whirling about outside love." He promised.

Elia was sure that's how her last baby was conceived, in Winterfell during a summer snow.

The baby was born at sea as they travelled back to Kingslanding. They had been delayed more then they liked on the road as it was. They were somewhere at the end of the north or the beginning of the riverlands when the baby came. Just as small as Rayla but much hardier the babe wailed as if refusing to be drowned out by the waves, she was all wolf just as pale as Eddard with a head of brown hair. Elia smiled when Eddard came into the cabin with flurries on his tunic. "A summer snow." She murmured tiredly.

"We should have stayed in Winterfell." Eddard said looking at the little thing howl. They were hoping to get back before the baby came and though she was early she wiggled and wriggled and screamed with authority he was not worried at all for the baby it was the women who birthed her he worried for. She was pale as a ghost and had been horribly ill since they got on the ship.

"Elia are you alright?" He asked.

"No more babies." She grumbled.

"I will hold you to that." Eddard said gently taking his daughter in his arms. He kissed his tired wife's cheek.

"I have feed her, but she will not stop fussing! Unfortunately for us she has wolf blood like Torrhen."

"Or whatever it is your brother suffers from." Eddard told her making her laugh.

"That is called Oberyn being Oberyn." Elia said making him laugh. Though she rested she reached up so she could have a hand on her babe.

"She's beautiful." Eddard said for the rest of her life everyone said their youngest was all Stark but from the beginning Eddard saw Elia in her and it would only grow with age, little things like the long eye lashes, she was skinny, with big almond shaped eyes. To more important things like Elia's strength, persistence and wit.

"I want to name her for your mother." Elia said breathlessly as she caressed her new baby contently.

"Isn't that sad?" Eddard asked as he held both his wife and new daughter in his arms.

"Similar then." Elia decided. "Lyarra, L-Yarra, Yarra, Arra, Arrya, Aryla" Elia played with the name while Eddard chuckled when she had it she smiled victoriously. "Arya! Arya Stark." She told him and he kissed her.

"A good name." He agreed happily looking at the babe.

Finally in her parents arms the babe was content at least for a few moments.

They were not able to leave the capital for another three years until a fifteen year old king told them he was fine on his own and they both deserved a break especially because they often stayed in the capital while Aegon would tour the seven kingdoms, traveling was a great joy of the young kings though it worried his mother. He visited high lords, went to the wall and thanked them for their services, he went to Dorne and saw his mothers home for himself, as well as many visits to Winterfell, he even went to Essos with his Uncle Oberyn as his guide and when he could not go far into the unknown he would still ride out of Kingslanding for a day or take a ship to visit his sister on Dragonstone and these little trips helped him with the weight of his duty as king so he could spend most of his time in the capital ruling without crumbling under the pressure as many kings before him.

He insisted his mother and stepfather have the same opportunity and sent them off to the water gardens.

Rhaenys declined the invitation but the other children came with them.

Mariah loved the desert flowers and mothering the little children. Torrhen ran around the water garden's wild as ever now with little Arya his partner in crime. Rayla liked to dangle her feet in the water while she read. Eddie followed Oberyn around as though he wore a god.

Elia adored Winterfell she kept closer to Eddard for warmth, but she truly enjoyed it not least of all because it's how she met Eddard as scary as it was at the time. Eddard wanted to give her home the same respect, but he found himself boiling in the heat trying to keep track of his little wolves amongst all the other children. He enjoyed seeing Elia so happy with her brothers, he found Doran to be good company though he was a man of wit and intellect and Eddard was a man of action and very few words.

He watched Torrhen happily splashing a larger child that knocked his baby sister over while Arya laughed. He was glad the children were happy though he felt he would melt into the sand.

Elia came up to him she was still as beautiful to him as when he met her though age had done her well, she had been so sickly in her youth and although she could once and awhile feel frail. He also did not mind the added curve on her breast and buttocks from baring his wolf pack. She wore a silver and gold silky dornish dress with a deep neckline and a high slit.

She grabbed his hand pulling him away without a word. He did not protest but he looked back to make sure all his children were well before he left. He scanned the garden for all their merry little faces.

"What are you doing?" Eddard finally grumbled she took him to chambers that were foreign to him and began undressing him from his leather before the handmaidens even left the room. He tried to stop her for proprieties sake, but it was hard to stop Elia when she set her mind to something.

"Saving your life." She promised. "You should swim it would keep you from overheating." Elia told him simply once the door shut behind the last handmaiden Eddard let her undress him without further complaint.

He just shook his head and it made her smile; it was far too much to ask of her private northerner but she had an elegant solution. "Moron Martell built this whole palace for his Targaryen princess." Elia said taking his hand and leading him into the next room. "And this was there private pool." Elia told him. The room was large and mostly empty like most or the Dornish rooms. The pool was of good size. The water was perfumed with flower petals. He smiled she walked past it to the bed examining what laid there.

"I had Dornish robes made for you." She told him as fact.

"Elia that's hardly-"

"I had them made for you; you will wear them before you sweat to death." She told him with a mischievous smile they were not a elaborately decorated as most of the Dornish robes, but they were rich silver and blue in color. She had him in mind when she ordered them and it showed.

"That was kind thank you." He said stepping into the water offering her his hand.

"That is more like it."

"It seems you have tamed your northern savage." He said smiling, he watched her untie her dress in one simple move his favorite thing about Dorne so far.

"Not all the way. I like him a little rough." She mused taking his hand as she too stepped down into the pool.

Eddard pulled her into his arms. "You didn't have to do this." He murmured.

"I wanted you to have a happy memory here." Elia told him simply her wet hand moving through his hair. She remembered marrying him when he was still half a boy, there was nothing boyish about him now he was a hardened man and a good honorable one at that. There was something undeniably safe in his adoring grey eyes.

"All my best memories are with you." Eddard promised making her smile that glorious smile he fell in love with no matter where they were. He never regretted that they were thrusted together not for a moment not even at the worst of times. She was the best thing to happen to him.

"I am just worried the sun beats a little to hard for you." Elia told him touching his fair cheek. Her hand touched hers keeping it in its place.

He took in the glory of his wife, her natural beauty for sure but her cleverness, her goodness, and nurturing ways were always near to his heart. She risked her life again and again to give him this big beautiful family, and although he feared losing her he was glad she never listened to him because each of their children was special and a different perfect blend of the two of them even Rhaenys and Aegon who would both swear they only had one father and he was a stubborn northerner named Stark.

"I quiet admire the sun."

...

 **There you have it! Laurenbull I know you had to be patient but I thought of you the whole time I wrote Arya's birth, thanks for sticking with me! I never put kids ages because sometimes they aged through out a chapter. There will be ages on in the Epilogue. I decided the story began with Elia and Eddard and should end with them so I did not do to much with any of the side characters. Thank you to everyone who read this story I felt a lot of love from this one and I appreciate it more then you know. I would love to hear what you thought about any and all of it. Thank again!**


	20. Epilogue

**Surprise! You may have given up on me returning to this. This epilogue is weird even for me. It's kinda like it's own little story. I just wanted to do these characters justice. I do not think i managed that but I have been working on this a really long time and have decided its not going to get any better. Also I am sorry its way long but believe it or not I cut alot! Anyways thank you so much for reading this story, thank you for all the amazing comments you gave me. I have a poll going for future story options if you are not sick of me. If you have an pairing for me not listed just message me. No oc's though. Anywho thanks for reading and let me know what you think.**

* * *

Aegon lies awake in his bed, there was a cold breeze to the room. Still he was warm enough in the tender embrace of his queen. She was truly the love of his life and he took a great comfort in her steady breath but even that could not stop the feeling of dread he felt.

His wife's hand ran up and down his chest as she stirred. She shifted to get comfortable and still embrace him laying a soft kiss against his shoulder blade. "Did you get any rest." She asked concerned as only a thoughtful wife could be.

He took her slender dainty hand into his pale big one and laid a kiss to the back of her wrist. "I watched you sleep and that is the best kind of rest a man can get to watch the woman he loves safe and warm and at peace." He promised.

"My poet king." Rhaenys mused smiling up at him. "Pretty words won't run a kingdom."

"No, my wife does that." Aegon teased. In fact, though he was young he already had proven himself. First, he dealt with two problems nobody was truly thinking of. The number of boys sent to become maesters was always high as it was a good place for a meal and a place to stay as well as a good place to get rid of too many starving sons. Not all of them became Maesters and usually this kept there from being too many but as Aegon's regency ended there were more Maestor then the cidital knew what to do with and as they and their patrons the Hightower's could not support the large amount they turned to the crown.

Aegon's solution was simple the small folk never had proper medical care, he decided the crown would pay a small tax every year so that a number of Maestors could travel among the small folk and aid them. The Archmaester's agreed laughing how they outsmarted the 'boy' king. They were sure no Maestor would volunteer for Aegon's peasant quest and the crown would pay them for nothing.

However either for love of helping people or for the dragon glass chain link that was given for a year of such service by the king himself in the iron throne room; it became quickly so popular Aegon brought medicine and aid to his people. He was greatly loved for this by the peasants and when lords started requesting their maesters served the people before them because it was thought a Maestor who knew the people could better help a lord rule them so many maestors wanted to serve the poor there were not enough supplies and so far these traveling maestors had to carry their supplies with them. Aegon had the first house of healing built in kings landing for the use of the poor. It was quickly spread among the lords that if they wanted their young new kings favor they too would commission houses of healing in their lands and although some lords tried to out due each other in the houses of healing they would raise none that would compare to what Aegon had in store; his first house of healing was overrun with sick, two more opened in kings landing and were also swamped so then Aegon hired thousands of workers to turn the dragonpit into the largest house of healing in Westeroes. It would seem the sight of great failure for the Targaryens would turn into a great triumph.

Aegon was the most beloved king to the small folk since Baelor the blessed and they seemed more than happy to overlook his marriage because of the good he would do. But being loved by the small folk was not enough to secure a reign. The dragons fell because they had little numbers and friends while still acting like they were as invulnerable as they were when they rode dragons. While Aegon and Rhaenys were working on repopulating house Targaryen unlike their grandparents they had friends house Stark and House Martell first and foremost and with them all of the north and Dorne were at their disposal and Aegon was a handsome and charismatic with a joyful heart and smile and everyone who met him liked him but it was not enough to make Rhaenys feel her husband's reign secure. Though after Varys there was not an official master of secrets everyone knew it was the queen who was well connected and informed. Rhaenys was determined to make the red keep a safe home for her family, knowing who was paying whom helped with that. It also helped she had her own queens guard that also served as her handmaidens, they were her cousins formally called the sandsnakes, now most called them the queens snakes. Rhaenys showed the boldness of a Dornish woman insisting to rule with Aegon and her husband was her biggest supporter. She came to his council meetings Aegon always said she had a better mind for numbers, and she was never shy to voice her opinions. Though he was the one who was trained by ser Barristan the bold and ser Jamie Lannister she was the one feared.

"No, we do it together." Rhaenys insisted kissing her husband's cheek they were best together.

"And together we make a great king." He teased his hand went to the roundness of her belly. "We also make beautiful children." He said he couldn't help but smile thinking of their next child and it made Rhaenys happy, Aegon did not look right nervous, her Aegon always wore that glorious smile. His smile was short live as worry filled him again and he sighed. "They should be here today." He groaned.

"You should not so dread our parents visiting!" Rhae scolded. He got up going to the window.

"They are not- "Aegon started.

"You can be angry at him Aegon." Rhaenys said very seriously sitting up. "But he _is_ our father."

"How can you defend him after all he has done?"

"Because he still loves us Aegon, even though you are angry with each other. He will always love you, and I will always love him, he molded you into the great man you are, do you think Rhaegar Targaryen would do that?" Rhaenys asked.

Aegon turned to her, she truly was beautiful with all the exotic beauty of a Dornish woman and all the beauty of the blood of the dragon. Her hair was thick and mostly dark with fine silver strands interwoven. She had high cheek bones, a graceful nose, and purple eyes like most Targaryens with thick lips and warm brown skin, and Aegon could not remember a time he did not love her.

"Why do I try to fight you, your better at it." Aegon teased.

"Yes, but you are so charming, valiant and good. It makes me rarely want to beat you in an argument." She teased.

There's was a very happy marriage that nobody wanted. Aegon showed how persistent and stubborn he could be. Everyone even Rhaenys was sure the day would never come that they would marry but Aegon knew it because he knew he would make it happen if he had to. They waited until Elia and Eddard were in Dorne and they Eloped

"Help your bloated wife." She teased he smiled helping her up.

"You are not bloated you are always radiant especially when you are with my child." Aegon mused he leaned down kissing her stomach through her robe, like every morning he told his unborn child how much he loved it.

"It's odd to me, that you with your magnificent heart that is full of love for everyone, peasants, orphans, unruly lords, their bratty children, and me for all my flaws: can still hold this grudge, while I hate everyone who has ever done anything wrong to you or our sons, understand his hesitation." Rhaenys admitted. Aegon was taller than her by a head and a half, most people thought he was all Valyrian with his pretty white hair, high cheek bones, aquiline noes, and pale skin. But Rhaenys could see the small details, his eyes though most said were a dark purple were black, his uncle Oberyn had taught him the spear and only she knew he secretly preferred it to a sword.

In truth nobody wanted them married Eddard was far from the first to complain, and every girl in the realm and several from Essos wanted him to marry them. Aegon was stubborn and hard to be swayed and Rhaenys matched if not surpassed him in will power.

"He resigned as my hand the moment they returned he would not listen to what I had to say, he was just angry he lost because for all his and mothers efforts to betroth me before my majority they could not and they knew they could not stop us once we married so he took our siblings and mother away." Aegon reminded.

"He hardly forced mothers' hand, anywhere he went she would go. She loves him the way I love you and someday soon he will understand that." She promised kissing his cheek. "Not if you avoid him every time he is here." Rhaenys reminded.

Aegon smiled whipping her hair out of her face. "You've always been the smart one."

"My lord the commander of the city watch has requested your presence." The squire said as he scuttled in and out looking at the ceiling the whole time Rhaenys laughed at the display.

"You would think we skin children in here by the way the servants act." She teased.

"I should go see what it is." Aegon said before kissing his wife.

"You will be there to greet them this morning and you will not run off." She warned as he helped her up. He dressed quickly before opening the door to let her waiting ladies in to help her dress.

"I will see them, but I am king first." He reminded.

"You realize everyone is coming here to celebrate you and 300 years of Targaryens ruling?" Rhaenys said.

"I didn't want anyone to come, I don't want them to celebrate me and I certainly don't want to spend money on celebrating a Dynasty of up and down rulers. Why don't we celebrate by working to be good rulers now?" Aegon asked making his wife laugh.

"You sound like father." She teased as he left.

"Your grace." Jamie greeted he was outside his door more mornings then not, he was Aegon's favorite knight of the kingsguard even after all these years. He nodded to his guard but smiled at his friend.

"Who is with my sons this morning ser Jamie?" Aegon asked as they walked.

"Ser Aerys Oakheart and Ser Loras Tyrell I believe Ser Humpfry Hightower is in the throne room and Ser Brynden Blackwood and the lord commander are around somewhere." Jamie said.

"We should go see what the Commander of the city watch has for us." Aegon said as they walked that way.

"The Commander of the city watch should not wake his king unless the city is under attack." Jamie said always quick to defend his king. "His appointment was- "Jamie started.

"My choice I will remind you. I thought it would keep him out of trouble, but you must admit he has done well with it."

"The city is safer than it's been in years." Jamie agreed as they approached the gates of the red keep, he nodded for the guards to flank the king. Aegon waved them away he hated being fussed over he was happy enough with Jamie protecting him. Jamie nodded to behind them having them follow after the king. Jamie understood what Aegon did not. This was only the beginning of a long glorious reign mayhaps the best king the seven kingdoms have ever had, and it was Jamie's job to make sure Aegon lived a long time so he could achieve it.

"I will be sad to lose him as the commander of the city watch, still he is my little brother so if he has taken me from my wife's arm needlessly, I will thump him." Aegon said making Jamie laugh. Jamie was who Aegon confided in about his love for Rhaenys and he found a good ally in his protector. It was Aegon's plan to marry in Secret, but it was Jamie who brought Rhaenys to Kingslanding in secret and then ushered them to the sept in the cover of night and found the septan to perform the ceremony. Aegon loved him for his undying loyalty and friendship.

They found the Commander of the city watch outside a bar waiting for them. He was not quite as tall as his brother; his skin was a dark brown, but he had grey Stark eyes. His black hair was shaggy to his shoulders, though he wore a gold clock it was pinned with Stark wolves to his leather tunic. He had been looking the stoic commander, but he could not keep it up. His mischievous smile appeared on his face making the narrow red mark that went from the corner of his lip across his cheek up to his ear all the more prominent. Next to him was a wolf whose fur was as back as Torrhens hair, he was called Cloak and was inseperatable from his master. A few years back Brandon found a back of direwolves let his daughters have them and even decided to breed a new batch giving them to his nephews and nieces.

"Your grace." Torrhen said bowing lowly he snapped his fingers and cloak bowed his own hands to the delight of the tavern girls watching. Torrhen was nothing if not charming.

"Lord Commander." Aegon addressed. "Are you aware how gods damning early it is?" Aegon asked making his brother laugh.

"The city is filling for the tourney and festivals to have in your honor."

"Haven't we given you extra men?" Aegon asked he looked to Jamie who confirmed it with a nod.

"Yes, your grace and it was enough to control the smallfolk but these lordlings are causing fights all over like the ones in there." Torrhen said.

"Put them in holding cells till they remember their manners." Aegon said easily not sure if he was need for such a simple judgement.

"You could say there are familiar faces in there your grace." Torrhen told the king. Aegon looked to the tavern then back at his brother's mischievous look before going towards the brothel.

"Let me go first your grace." Jamie instructed making sure it was safe before the king followed.

Aegon followed in to see. Steffon Barathon and some of his croonies as well as Eddie Stark. Eddie's eyes dipped seeing his brother it was not his way to get in a fight. He was tough for how young he was, but he was a good obedient quiet boy, but as a Stark he could only be pushed so far. Like the other boys he was tied to his chair.

"MY FATHER WILL NOT BE HAPPY!" Steffon shouted, as the only true born son and heir of Robert who lost his mother to young the boy was soundly spoiled.

Though close in age and cousins Steffon and Eddie could never stand each other they were so different and Steffon enjoyed getting under Eddie's skin.

"You tied them up?" Jamie scoffed.

"How else was I supposed to keep them apart, it was like herding cats." Torrhen told Jamie.

"Isn't that your job?" Jamie asked smugly.

"Your job is protecting the most beloved person in seven kingdoms." Torrhen reminded.

"Stop." Aegon said looking at the faces in the room lordlings all of them. "I will leave them in your custody, a responsible member of their family must come to claim them." Aegon said he could not have them in the red keep holding cells not after what happened when Rickard Stark came for his son. Though he was a good king and great man Aegon could not escape the dark deeds of his family.

"Yes, your grace." Torrhen said easily.

"I will take my little brother into my custody." Aegon said Jamie went and cut the ropes off Eddie's hands grabbing him up.

"Next time you want to fight you come find me." Torrhen told his little brother protectively.

"Will you be leaving with your betrothed Lord Commander?" Aegon asked if anyone could tame Torrhen's wolf blood it was the beautiful Sharra Arryn his betrothed whom he was crazy about. The voice of the vale she was called her banner men loved her she was quite persuasive and beautiful with fair Arryn hair but purple eyes.

"I need to be there to protect her, Harry Hardying thinks the vale and my betrothed are his, he is wrong and sometimes people who are wrong do stupid things." Torrhen said.

"We will miss you in the capital." Aegon said simply before he put his arm around his little brother leading him off.

"That was stupid." Aegon sighed as they walked.

"Well we all cannot be as smart as you." Eddie muttered.

"You are Smart though, taught by maestors all your life."

"I do as I am told."

"Who told you to give Steffon a black eye?"

"I hate him!" Eddie groaned.

"What did he say?" Aegon asked.

"He called me a bastard." Eddie said quietly getting his brothers complete attention.

"Were going back to the brothel Jamie!" Aegon said turning around.

"Yes, your grace." Jamie said going with him the whole party turned to follow there angry king.

"No, I do not need my big brother fighting my battles for me!" Eddie told him. Aegon looked at Eddie his brown hair was curly like their mothers hair, he had big grey eyes and pale skin like father but even at 16 he was so very Boyish and was rightfully embarrassed of the idea his brother had to fight his battles for him even if that brother was king.

"The circumstance of your parents' marriage is strange, but they were married Eddie and you and the others are there trueborn children." Aegon promised. Eddie nodded pulling his brother the other way. Aegon went on with his little brother back to the keep.

"Rhaenys has a surprise for you." Aegon told him as they walked through the gates.

"That means she has found me a bride; I want to be a man of the night watch." Eddie said.

"You have a higher calling. Like it or not you are the brother of a king."

"I usually like it, maybe not today." Eddie grumbled.

Aegon smiled at his brother. "Well it will come with a lot of inconveniences, for Jon that means never quite feeling he has a place anywhere, for Rhaenys it mean always having to worry about her children because people whisper there abominations in the dark, for you it means having to marry a pretty Nobel born girl. It could be worse." Aegon teased.

"Who?" Eddie asked drably.

"I am not sure, ask your sister the queen, though I did here the name Johanna Tully?" Aegon said simply.

"She's a baby." Eddie reminded.

"She's 10 but someday she will beautiful like her mother. And you should be happy she is young, it means you won't have to marry for some time. "Aegon told him.

"I never thought of it that way." Eddie admitted.

"Well," Aegon said victoriously throwing his arm around his little brother. "That's why I sit on the sharp chair." Aegon teased as they walked.

* * *

They arrived at the red keep Ned got off his horse ignoring the squire sent to great them and going back to the carriage opening it.

"Are you alright?" Ned asked helping his wife out. They had been married over 20 years and she was still breathtakingly beautiful to him.

"I have ridden in a carriage before love." She said elegantly stepping out into his arms. "There was this one time I rode in a carriage all the way to the north with two screaming babies and ended up marrying a northern savage." She said wittily making her northern husband smile.

"You must tell me about it sometime." He said with a gentle smile.

"But of course." Elia said with a loving smile.

"Ugh there being gross again!" Arya sighed as she got out of the carriage her mother pulled her into her arms, she knew better to fight it being Elia's baby after all.

"What is she wearing?" Eddard asked Elia his wife gave him a soft smile.

"Robes love, from Dorne."

"There's trousers under the robe Elia."

"Traditions are important, and I was happy Oberyn sent them so they could stay in the family." Elia told her husband her little daughter was a fighter and pushed for it. The Dornish woman in her promised that if her daughter wanted to fight, she should all her daughters were half Dornish and should have the rights of Dornish women. Put she knew better then to push Eddard when she could pull him gently to her side.

"I do not like our daughter wearing your brother's clothes." Eddard stated.

"They were my clothes." Elia said with a smile her youngest daughter shared.

"You wore pants?" Eddard asked surprised as he helped Raya out of the carriage.

"I did. My brothers wore them, and I was there equal as our daughters are as good as any man." Elia reminded her husband.

"Our daughters are better than most men." Eddard said kissing Rayla's head making his gentle daughter smile just as radiantly as his wild daughter. "But it is my job to protect them."

"We have to teach them how to protect themselves as well love. We will not always be here to protect them or tell them what to do." Elia reminded as the wolves pranced around happy their owners were out of the wheelhouse.

Tyrion approached with a small force of greeters.

Eddard smiled. "I love how nervous he is around me."

"You will be kind to him for our daughter!" Elia insisted as they walked towards Tyrion arm and arm with their daughters behind them. Though they were so very different they got along well, Rayla was not always well enough to play as children and Arya would sometimes keep her company telling her fairy stories and battles and woe that she would face when she was grown. Rayla for her part supported all her sister's dreams Elia swore they were just like Oberyn and she as children.

"Lord Eddard, queen mother." Tyrion greeted. "It is my profound honor to welcome you to the red keep."

"Does the master of coin have so little to do he greets new arrivals." Eddard asked getting playfully swat by his wife.

"Lord Lannister it was kind of you to welcome us." Elia said.

"Let me take you to your daughter, she wanted to come but it's hot out today and I hadn't wanted her to strain herself." Tyrion said as he led them inside.

"Mother father!" Mariah called as soon as they came into the entrance of the keep.

Elia clasped her mouth. "Look how beautiful you are!" She cried seeing her daughter all big with child. She wore a dark red dress with golden accents and tried her best to hold onto her son who was only two.

"Let me take him, you should not lift him!" Tyrion said carefully he adored his wife he was not sure how he got her or why she wanted to marry him. She told her brother who was quite found of Tyrion and Aegon made it happened, even though Tyrion did not see a whore or drink as much since they started courting Eddard threatened him with an inch of his life. Which Elia quietly approved of at the time, but she gave Eddard a look as if to say look how in love they are. Tyrion could not walk into the room without making Mariah smile and every time it was so honest and sincere he had no idea what he did to deserve her but he worked hard to keep her happy in all things including the children he had promised he had cousins who would take Casterly but she insisted on giving him children and Lorean was so prefect with his blond hair with a gentle curl Tyrion consented to another but he frantically worried about her the whole time she was pregnant.

"He fusses over everything." Mariah said as her father kissed her cheek and her mother hugged her rubbing her tummy.

"Mariah!" Rayla said happily hugging her big sister.

"You!" Arya said to Tyrion.

"Hello again little stark." Tyrion teased getting her to stick her tongue out.

"Arya!" Eddard scolded but he grinned at her approvingly getting swat again by Elia who took her grandson in her arms.

"Tyrion has some discussions about the funds for this event, he will join us later." Mariah said as they all turned to the doors opening to the throne room with Rhaenys coming in her own bump was much smaller than her sisters and she was flanked by her queensguard.

"I am so happy you came!" Rhaenys said getting hugged by Elia and then her sisters.

Eddard looked her up and down. "Where is Aegon?" Eddard asked.

"He is coming, let's go sit while we wait for him." She said swiftly taking them to a drawing room to chat.

"Arya I have great news for you." Rhaenys said making her sister roll her eyes.

"I doubt that." Arya grunted she knew her sister the queen was the matchmaker all family matches had to go through her, and she arranged most of them.

"I thought you would be more excited to visit Dorne." Elia said casually making her daughters eyes widen.

"I get to go to Dorne!" Arya said excitedly.

"Well uncle Doran isn't feeling well so Uncle Oberyn has to help him run things in Sunspear so if he is going to train you-" Rhaella started.

"Uncle Oberyn is going to train me! "Arya said jumping up and down with excitement.

"Oh, Arya you will do wonderful in Dorne!" Rayla said happily as she sat down tired from the journey.

"If you agree to my terms." Rhaenys said simply.

Jon clapped his hands together making a loud clapping sound getting there attention since he snuck in the room. "You took the bait and she sprung the trap!" He said going over to them where arya hit him. He went around getting hugs from everyone.

"What are yours terms queenie?" Arya asked making her sister smile.

"Arya. "Eddard Warned sternly.

Rhaenys looked to Jon as though he spoiled her plans, he came forward. "Your grace."

"Lord hand." She greeted as he kissed her cheek. "Where is he?" She asked softly.

"I'm told he is coming." Jon said softly.

"And if he is not here soon?" Rhaenys asked looking to Eddard who already seemed annoyed until Elia touched his arm. She was like fresh air to him in a place he thought was suffocating. Elia just rubbed his arm while asking

Mariah about the baby,

"I will send out a search part your grace." Jon teased.

"Send a man hunt." Rhaenys said before turning back to the party who were talking about baby names.

Rhaenys smiled seeing all the wolves running around. "Help me with the names." She asked Arya who gave her sister a look for getting her way but soon she took her by the hand with a smile. "That one's Eddies he's called Duncan after ser Duncan." She said pointing out a brownish wolf. "You know Mariah's wolf Eyrie and Jon's wolf ghost, Rayla's is called Song, Torrhen's wolf is off with him and he's called cloak and mine is the best wolf come here Nymeria!" Arya said happily her own wolf came to her name.

"Absolutely magnificent." Rhaenys said patting her sisters wolf.

"Why don't you and Egg get wolves?" Arya asked her sister.

"We aren't Starks." The king said evenly as he came back in with Eddie and Jamie. getting a glare from his queen.

"Do not worry about your brother Arya he takes what he wants despite rules." Ned assured getting a similar look from his wife.

"My sweet boy it's good to see you." Elia said softly as Rayla and Arya ran to Aegon hugging him.

"I get no love?" Eddie asked.

"Oh, please we saw you a few days ago before you got to ride ahead." Arya said.

"He was not a trouble, was he?" Elia asked Rhaenys gave Aegon a confused look while Eddie looked down. Aegon never missed a beat.

"He was good as always."

"Besides a bar fight?" Torrhen asked coming in.

"Torrhen why?" Jon asked.

"I'm not lying to my mother for king or country." Torrhen said with a shrug before kissing his mother's cheek she gave him a soft smile before turning to Ned who was livid.

"Eddard Stark we will discuss this." Ned warned his son.

"Yes father." Eddie said simply.

"It was not his fault." Aegon began.

"I can parent my own child your grace." Ned assured.

"I see you still use the tactic of judging before understanding what's going on has not changed." Aegon said.

"Aegon stop it!" Rhaenys told him.

"Come on girls let me show you around the red keep." Mariah said taking Rayla and Arya.

"Thank you darling." Elia said to her daughter pulling at her husbands' hand. "You go to Eddie." She instructed he took Mariah's little boy so she wouldn't have to carry him.

"You two must reconcile." Elia told them both.

"That's going to be hard mother he can barely look at me." Aegon reminded.

"You are not making this easier." Rhaenys told her husband.

"I won't apologize for loving you!" Aegon told his wife taking her hand and kissing it making Ned look away which only angered Aegon more.

"He is purposely trying to be aggravating." Ned told Elia in a growl.

"No if I wanted to be aggravating, I would point out that we are having a fourth child, so I have done more then kiss her hand." Aegon said.

"I do not care who you are you won't talk about my daughter that way!" Eddard growled moving forward and so did Aegon Jamie moved between the king and his father as Torrhen pulled his father back and Jon pulled Aegon back.

"For once don't make things worse Jamie." Jon sighed before looking to the queen. "I am going to take him to cool down." He said and she nodded the king went with his best friend knowing it was for the best.

"Ned!" Was all Elia had to say she could see he felt bad enough as it was, he felt horrible how this situation has been. How out of hand it all was and how hurt his son looked when he looked at him.

"Are you alright?" Rhaenys asked the man who raised her, it was hard facing Aegon because he was so angry and could not or would not understand Ned's position on this matter but it might have been worse facing Rhaenys because she still treated him like he was her papa. "Mayphaps a walk would help?"

"I'm fine your grace." Ned promised.

"Then you well enough to walk good." Rhaenys sang she was very good at getting her way.

"I am going to find the children." Elia said kissing Ned's cheek giving him a warning look to be nice.

Rhaenys did not wait for invitation she looped her arm with her fathers and began walking through the corridors.

"I am sorry if the hostilities ruined the visit. That was not my intention"

"No, it was not Aegon's either. He is very stubborn righteous to causes he believes in. He gets that from our father I think."

"You remember Rhaegar princess?"

"No not really." Rhaenys said smiling at Ned. "I mean you. You raised us."

"I doubt Aegon shares your sentiment."

"He loves you he is just angry. He's not one to let go of something he considers injustice when his family is concerned." Rhaenys said.

"I'd like to think he got that from me too."

"I know I did." Rhaenys said with a smile.

"I never want you to think that my disapproval of….this choice means I do not love you. I love you and Aegon as much as the other children."

"I know. Aegon struggles with that. He doesn't understand as I do that you will come around." Rhaenys said making her father smile.

"I will, will I?"

"Yes of course you will, theres hardly another choice." Rhaenys said as on of the queens snakes opened the door they walked into the nursery.

Jaehaerys the eldest of Rhaenys brood ran fourth. He was six years old and looked as Targaryen as his father. "Grandfather!" He called happily running to them followed by Daeron who at four was Jaehaerys little shadow. He looked a lot like his brother high cheek bones pale skin purple eyes.

They both ran into Ned's arms making him smile.

"I want to show you what my father taught me!" He said happily going to get his little wooden sword.

Daeron just smiled up at Maekar. "He has your smile and eyes Rhae." Ned said softly patting his grandsons head.

Rhaenys handed Ned Maekar at a little more than a year Maeker was whining a little in his grandfathers arm. "There is no going back, what's done is done." Rhaenys promised.

Ned smiled at the little wooden wolf in Maekers hands. "That was your fathers when he was a boy."

* * *

"Why is he like that!" Aegon growled.

"Because he could not keep level headed like you." Jon teased. "I really don't understand, you're the most reasonable person I know that's how you make so many enemies into friends. Your persuasive and know when to compromise but when it comes to this thing you and Uncle Ned you lose it."

"That's because I won't be reasonable when it comes to Rhaenys and the children they are the best thing that happened to me and I would sooner break then bend on this." Aegon said.

"You'll find a way to resolve it, you are always the best man." Jon said as they walked out into the city for fresh air.

"You know hand of mine you never told me your stance on the matter." Aegon said.

"I never thought it mattered. You were always going to get your way. You have your mother's determination." Jon said simply.

"You've always been a good hand and my dearest friend."

"Am I dying?"

"Eddie looks at marriage as dying so it depends on how you look at it." Aegon smirked.

"I'm afraid to ask." Jon admitted.

"Mariah is married to lord Tyrion of house Lannister, Torrhen will marry Sharra Arryn, Arya will Marry Trystane Martell whether she realizes it or not, Rayla will marry Robb Stark when she is older, and in turn Robb's sister Sansa will marry Tommen and his other sister Alyse will marry the Baratheon boy, once you beat your brother into proper shape and Minisa Stark will marry Theon Greyjoy when my little cousin is older and hopefully he will have matured" Aegon said.

"A Stark in every kingdom." Jon said before frowning. "But one…"

"Yes, Rhaenys was supposed to marry Willas Tyrell which obviously did not happen. They were quietly offended when Mariah married a Lannister and now since Rayla's engagement they have been loudly offended. Maybe I should have engaged Rayla to Willas, I was being foolish."

"You were being a good big brother; they were in love surely you can relate."

"Yes, and just like Rhaenys and I the bride and groom are related." Aegon grumbled.

"Cousins." Jon reminded.

"Ned supported the match, I thought he hated that sort of thing. It's not so different. Apologize I got off track, Olenna Tyrell did not rebuild Summerhall to be snubbed." Aegon reminded. "And she has a very beautiful granddaughter."

"Margaery Tyrell wanted to marry you not a bastard."

"You are not a Bastard you are a Targaryen as much as my siblings are starks and to prove it. I would like to grant you Summerhall."

Jon turned to his brother surprised. "I cannot except."

"What was it you were saying about me getting what I want?" Aegon teased.

"You have three sons you cannot-"Jon Started until they heard a loud foreign noise. Something they had never heard before but upon hearing could only mean on thing. Aegon immediately charged toward a nearby bridge getting up on the wall Jon and Jamie scrambled after him.

They saw it in the distance that the rumors from the east were not rumors at all. Three grown dragons charged toward the city. What they saw was being seen in the keep too. The bells rang to let the people know the city was under siege.

"We have to get him out of here." Jamie hissed.

Jon took off his cloak placing it on his brother to hide his Targaryen features. "We need a boat." Jon said.

Aegon was not listening to them he began quickly going back to the keep before breaking out into a full sprint.

"Your grace you must evacuate the city." Jamie told him going after him.

"Rhaenys and my sons are in the keep I have to get to them!" He shouted as screams flooded the streets.

"What do we do?" Jamie asked Jon as they ran.

"Keep him alive." Jon said simply.

* * *

"Where is he, where is Aegon?" Eddard asked.

Rhaenys held Maekar close to her as she watched the display get bigger.

"Jon was going to take him for a walk he likes to walk amongst the people." Rhaenys whispered.

"DWAGON!" Daeron called pointing.

"I-it won't hurt us will its mother. Because father says we are dragons?" Jaehearys said trying to be brave but there was a tremble in his voice.

"No, they cannot hurt you my sweet ones. I will not let them." Rhaenys swore a tear coming down her face.

The kingsguard all except Jamie burst in.

"The king and his hand are missing we have swept the keep for them. In their absence you are the acting monarch." Ser Selmy said.

"It's up to you to surrender the city." Ned told his daughter.

"Surrender? And then this aunt who everyone says was murdered as a babe is just going to let Aegon, Jon, the children and I go on our merry way? She is who I am afraid of more than her dragons." Rhaenys said with her free hand she pulled Jaehaerys closer as Daeron was already clutching her skirt. Her own baby Dragons were her concern.

"None of you are with the king's mother!" Ned spat barging past them to the door before looking at his daughter.

"We will be fine go." She told him.

"We need to get you and the prince's out of the city." Loras Tyrell said.

"The boys must go, but I have to stay, I am acting Monarch and I need to find Aegon."

"The streets are made he may not-" Arys Oakheart began.

"I refuse to believe that! Now two of you will accompany each of my sons, go out different way, different ports, different boats, but all three must get to Dorne."

"We should keep them separated for safety one could got to Dorne, another Winterfell, another Dragonstone." Ser Loras said.

Rhaenys looked at him annoyed. "Dragonstone is an easy journey on dragonsback and the only place that has not fallen to dragons is Dorne and that's where my sons will be!" Rhaenys said.

Ser Selmy ordered the men how he wanted them to break up while Rhaenys said here goodbyes pulling all her sons in a hug. "We will all be together again if not in this life in the next. You have a duty to survive and take care of one another if you can and wherever you are in the world never forget how much we love you. " She told them weeping softly.

"I am the king's mother!" Elia shouted hearing her voice made Eddard rush that way.

"The king is dead and we're all gonna join em might as well have fun doing it." One of two castle guards said coming towards Elia and Rayla and Arya. Elia pulled her daughters behind her.

"Get away from them!" Eddard yelled brandishing his sword they tried to run past him, but he dispatched both of them before going to Elia who wrapped his arms around him in gratitude.

"Where are the boys why aren't they-" Ned started.

"They are with Mariah they had to carry her up the stairs the shock-it doesn't matter she is having the baby now we had to get things to prepare." Elia explained they had linen and Arya had a bucket of water.

"We need to get you out of the city the kingsguard are taking the prince's out of the city I know they will, you all need to be with them." Ned said simply.

"Mariah cannot be moved and I will not leave her. Arya and Rayla must go." Elia said.

Torrhen ran down the stairs to tell Elia she was needed.

"Torrhen take your sisters to the nursery make sure they are taken with the princes to safety then return to your mother and keep her safe." Ned said Torrhen nodded.

"No, I want to stay with you." Arya told her mother.

"Mama we can help" Rayla insisted.

"This is not what we want but it's what we must do. You girls need to go with the little princess they are just babies and will need your help. I want you to make me very proud and be safe." Elia told her daughters before kissing their heads.

"You can get them there safely." Ned asked his son touching his shoulder.

"I'm the one going with the direwolves, I'll be fine. Look out for yourself old man and my mother." Torrhen said with that devious smile that only Ned noticed the wavier in it.

"Be careful." Elia said trying not to cry.

"Come on I will take you back to Eddie and Mariah before I go." Ned said as they quickly went up the stairs.

"Where will you go?" Elia asked.

"I have to find my son, No one knows where Aegon is." Ned said feeling the pain in his heart. He could not let his first son die thinking he hated him.

"I have love you so much Elia, I think I have loved you since I met you and I will love you until death stills me." Ned said outside Mariah's chamber.

Elia grabbed him by his collar. "Listen Well Eddard Stark. You are not allowed to die here and now. You are to die with me many years from now in our bed holding my hand do you understand?!" Elia asked.

Ned smiled. "Yes ma'am." Before kissing her, a kiss expressing 20 years of love, devotion, and undoubting faith in each other in a course of a few moments. She held onto him for a moment as if remembering the feel of him before he went into the fray.

"Now go find our boy." Elia said trying to be strong before they heard foot steps Ned lifted his sword and pulled his wife behind him.

"Where is she?" Tyrion asked with a full force of Lannister men.

"She is in there." Elia said hearing Mariah cry out in pain.

"Watch out for my family Lannister." Ned said.

"Be careful Stark." Tryion said and they nodded of mutual respect before Tyrion and Elia rushed into the now very secured room and Ned went to find his son.

Elia went into her daughters screams.

"The midwifes, the maestors there gone!" Mariah cried.

"I have been through many births my love and I will get you through this one." Elia promised her daughter.

"Eddie why don't you join my men outside." Tyrion said as a kindness the boy was turning very pale. Eddie nodded going with them. Elia looked towards Tyrion. "My men will not let anyone get near him." Tyrion promised going to his wife's beside.

"Wheres my son?" Mariah cried.

"On a ship to Casterly rock with an adoring staff caring for him." Tyrion promised.

* * *

Jon, Jamie, and Aegon stormed through the keep battered not by dragon fire but from the stamped they had to endure to get back in.

He found where Rhaenys was in one of the towers with the large balcony a favorite meeting spot of theirs she was looking over the city wondering where in it her boys were being smuggled out. Where in it Aegon was.

"Rhae!" Aegon called getting her attention she ran away from the balcony back into the room and right into his arms he picked her up spinning her around in his arms.

"I let them send our babies away egg." She cried.

"You did what is best for them my love. Our children will live on and our name, Jamie will take you to them now."

"No, I wont leave you." Rhaenys said firmly.

"A beautiful sentiment my beloved but I might be king of the ashes soon." Aegon admitted.

"And I will be your queen my bones next to yours." Rhaenys assured.

"No!" Aegon said with tears in his eyes he touched her stomach.

"They have only been circling so far no fire yet." Rhaenys told him. "Maybe it's just a show of strength?"

"One is feasting in fleebottom it seems like she cannot control the ones she is not on and they are getting closer to the keep." Aegon reminded.

"Then it's too late to flee if I wanted to." She told with a victorious but sad smile. She breathed deeply to keep the tears away taking his hand.

He smiled too. "Protect the queen at all cost. Jaehaerys will need his regent." He told Jon and Jamie.

"We need to go!" Jamie said as one of the dragons came towards the balcony. Aegon pulled Rhaenys behind a collom and Jon and Jamie moved out of sight but unsheathed their blades in preparation, but the dragon never came. The castle seemed to shutter around them. Aegon held Rhaenys close to him to keep her from screaming. Jon put his ear to the floor. It was under them and as quickly as it came it was clawing its way back out.

. "Rhaenys you have been the light of my life that always centered me and driven me. I love you and ask for your deepest forgiveness." Aegon told her in a whisper. Rhaenys was about to argue but Aegon kissed her hard and went away from the column running out to the balcony and jumping.

Rhaenys screamed as Jamie went to run after him and Jon stopped him Aegon did a lot of brash things, but they always had a point. Across the sky the dragon came flying up with an angry screech and a king with his arms wrapped around the beast's neck as it tried to throw the unwanted ridder off.

* * *

Torrhen came running back into the chamber. "The girls have escaped." He promised his mother who nodded softly having the girls out was a relief just as it had been delivering her daughter's baby without any complications but her worries were far from over. He looked over at his sister she held her newborn daughter as she rested while Tyrion whispered loving sentiments in her ear.

"Now you and Tya need to escape." Tyrion told his wife out loud.

"I don't think I can walk my love."

"Then you will be carried." Tyrion said simply.

"You do not want to go out there right now, dragons may not destroy Kingslanding but the people will soon. I am going to go take back the city, at least on the ground." Torrhen told his mother.

"You just said it was dangerous." Elia told her son.

"And father is still out there."

"And Aegon." Eddie reminded nervously patting his wolf.

"Aegon has actually…. gained a lot of ground." Torrhen said as delicately as he could.

Tyrion gave a curious look. "What does that mean?"

"You really don't want to know. " Torrhen warned.

"Torrhen!" Elia demanded.

"He's going to talk to the dragon queen…. I think."

"Excellent, Aegon has always been a great negotiator…I should join them where are they." Tyrion asked.

"Yes, Tyrion is so very clever he can help." Mariah assured giving her husband an adoring look from her birthing bed he kissed her hand.

"They might be meeting on Dragon back." Torrhen admitted.

"My son is on a dragon?" Elia asked astonished she fell back into a chair from the shock Torrhen and Eddie rushed to her.

"He is doing good, a little shacky at first but he seems to be getting the hang of it." Torrhen tried to assure getting a look from Eddie that told him to stop. The tears poured from Elia's eyes.

"Mother, Aegon is fighting for all of us over our heads. When he lands, he is going to expect his city to still be standing. Someone needs to be out there." He told her softly.

"I cannot lose you Torrhen." Elia told him as she ran her hand over the mark on his cheek. She was already so worried about everyone else she was hoping to keep the rest of her kids close because there seemed to be nothing, she could do to help them.

He held her hand there see mother right there the gods marked me a keeper. I will be alright. You raised us to be like this. To ride dragons, command cities, help little princes escape and save the people who need us. We are all the way we are because of you."

Elia smiled ever so slightly. "Be careful."

"I want to go with him, I'll be very careful, but I need to find father." Eddie promised.

"Good lad come on." Torrhen said their wolves went with them only Eyrie stayed at the foot of its owners bed.

* * *

They have been circling each other for an age now." Rhaenys said as she watched the love of her life in the sky.

"Aegon's always been chatty." Jamie teased.

"Or negotiations are not working." Rhaenys said with a glare.

"We need an edge, and upper hand to force hers." Jamie said.

"We need another Dragon." Jon said looking first at the one over fleebottom and then back to Rhaenys.

"We need to get her to that dragon." Jon told Jamie.

"I'll get some horses and some good men." Jamie said.

"Are you two forgetting something? I am pregnant I cannot ride a dragon!" Rhaenys reminded.

"If Aegon could subdue that dragon you can subdue this one." Jon said.

"Your not that pregnant." Jamie tried.

"The maestor says if I ride a horse, I could lose my baby do you know how dangerous it would be for my child, Aegon's child?" Rhaenys asked.

"Aegon needs you." Jon told her. "It has to be you."

"Not necessarily Jon." Rhaenys said looking at him.

"How do you know I really count as a Targaryen?" Jon asked.

"I know!" Rhaenys assured.

"We are about to find out." Jamie told Jon patting his back.

"Go, Aegon is busy and I need to lead the people. We will begin evacuating the city." Rhaenys said.

They were sure it would be chaos to get to fleebottom but it was not as panicked the city watch was organized and moving people out of the city in a relatively coordinated way. Jon and Jamie raced towards fleebottom.

Jon climbed up the building to the curled-up dragon liking at the bones of a war horse.

"My name is Jon Targaryen." He told it it got up big hissing. He repeated himself in high Valyrian and he watched the dragon blink at him like it understood the way ghost does. He reached his hand out and let him sniff it.

The dragon did so before looking up in the sky.

"You want to live up to your brothers." Jon guessed in Valyrian, the giant dragon looked back at him as if it heard him. "That's my brother up there, the man who jumps out a window for the good of his realm and wife. My other brother is going to be a great lord, I understand." Jon said in high Valyrian the dragon bowed his head and Jon went over to him and soon they took off onto the sky.

Not long after the tides turned did a peace become reached and all three riders landed in the courtyard and the dragon stables in the red keep were for the first time in a longtime.

When they entered the throne room the hall filled with cheers. The nobles who had gathered for a celebration of the Targaryen dynasty now gathered in honor of the victory of their young king keeping his throne.

Heroes of the day keep staggering in and being rejoiced but when the king and prince Jon entered the throne room the room roared with joy.

They walked through it smiling and waving.

"I need to tell you something." Aegon told Jon.

"Tell me anything."

"Well to start thank you."

"No need to thank me, it was your wife's idea and it was rather life affirming for me." Jon admitted. "It was like earning the acceptance you always gave me."

"If you are happy, I am happy but that is not what I am thanking you for." Aegon admitted however hesitantly.

"What do you-"

"You're not marrying Margaery Tyrell they will have to settle for Eddie. The Dragon queen agreed to leave Westeroes and to go back to her empire and without one of her dragons." Aegon said softly.

"One?" Jon asked already attached to his dragon his 'aunt' had said that he was called Rhaegal.

"She's strong and smart and tough but she needs someone steady to guide her like I always had when I was first ruling. I am only the king of Westeroes I cannot be that person for her, but you can."

"That was your deal she wanted a husband."

"No that was my idea, I think you will be good for each other. She is not an imposter she really is Daenerys Targaryen she really did survive, and she has been taught lies about us since she was little. She is in desperate need of love." Aegon said and Jon smiled she recently threatened to take his throne and after one talk on dragon back he was ready to help this young Targaryen girl that did not have the same advantages Aegon and Rhaenys had. They had a mother who loved them and Ned Stark as a protector.

"I am going to be king of Essos?" Jon asked the idea seemed so foreign to him.

"You are the best man for the job." Aegon said patting his back.

"Really I can think of a better one." Jon said quietly starring at Aegon. "I will never be able to repay this."

"If you would like to repay me get her pregnant and quickly." Aegon said forever looking forward to where his queen was waiting by the throne. Jon gave him a confused look. Aegon paused for a moment his smile had vanished and there was an untold sadness in his eyes. "She thinks she cannot produce an heir and she wants a Targaryen successor. That was the main part of the deal. She is going to take my unborn child unless she has her own baby." Aegon said Jon looked at the man who just gave up his child for the sake of all of Westeros. He finally realized what it was to be a good king.

"Aegon I am so-" Jon started.

"I cannot speak of it now. There's a very beautiful angry woman awaiting me." Aegon said simply walking forward and kissing his queen to thunderous applause.

"You jumped out a window!" Rhaenys hissed the smile still plastered on her face.

"To be fair between the ground and the dragon I hardly thought I would live to see the ramifications." Aegon teased.

"Oh you will live with the ramifications for a long time to come my love." Rhaenys promised.

All eyes leered at Daenerys when she entered the throne room.

"Go ahead and be the gentleman you wore born to be and help her." Rhaenys sighed and Aegon went that way.

Jon went over to jon his sister and Lord Tyrion.

"Did the king give her safe passage then?" Tyrion asked.

"Of course." Jon said simply.

"I have not, and Eddie, Torrhen, and father are not back yet."

"And the girls?" Jon asked.

"The girls are upstairs with Mariah and the baby." Tyrion promised.

"Congratulations by the way. Where are the little prince's I want to say goodbye to them." Jon said.

"I had the boys go to Dragonstone closer than Dorne but still away." Rhaenys said.

"Why?"

"Because I am not a trusting person Jon." Rhaenys said simply.

"I'll drink to that; Mariah and the children are going to Casterly Rock in the morning." Tyrion said.

"You don't think your overreacting?" Jon asked the two of them.

"Parents do not overreact Jon everyone else is simply not taking matters seriously. You will see one day." Tyrion said making Jon smile.

"What do you mean say goodbye?" Rhaenys asked.

"I am going away for a while, Daenerys is new to rule and she does not have the guidance Aegon had. I think Aegon thinks she needs someone to believe in her." Jon admitted.

"And Aegon no longer needs you to believe in him?" Rhaenys asked.

"He has you." Jon reminded.

Rhaenys smiled. "Well as much as I will miss you, I feel a lot better with you going with her. If there's anyone who can rule an empire and not let it go to their head it's you." Rhaenys said kissing his cheek. "Is there anything I can do."

"Try to get along with Daenerys?" Jon asked smiling when she scrunched up her nose at the idea. Rhaenys felt it was enough Daenerys had her husband's protection at the moment.

"Actually, I owe you. Rhaenys you had the opportunity few others have had, to become a dragon rider and you gave it up. You gave it to me." Jon said softly he would always be grateful.

"I couldn't hear whispers in the air, besides the dragon you ride is nothing compared to mine." Rhaenys teased smiling at Aegon as he explained Daenerys was his aunt to the nobles, the beneficial relationship they that would take place between Essos and Westeros and Daenerys ending slave trade in Essos.

"Maybe once I marry your aunt I can make you uncomfortable too." Jon teased watching their surprised reactions. "Aegon's idea."

Rhaenys stared at the woman her brother would marry she was a bit young but though she brought her dragons to there doorstep she never burnt the place down it was a mere threat.

"She's very beautiful, and I want you to be very happy and I will learn to trust her." Rhaenys promised.

"I should go properly meet her." Jon decided.

"You trust her I will be untrusting just in case." Tyrion told her.

"You are going to make an excellent hand." Rhaenys told him.

* * *

Elia decided to stay with Mariah and the younger girls. Arya talked about how she helped the knights with prince Daeron and that someday she will be a king's guard while Rayla talked about how cute baby Maeker was. Elia kept watching the door.

Eddie came into everyone's glee and then Torrhen. Elia was so happy to see her boys, but she could not help the pull her heart made waiting for Ned.

"Arya you would have loved it, a mob on the ground, we took back the city while dragons flew above." Torrhen said. Eddie was quiet as only you could be after killing a man in combat for the first time.

"Where is father?" Rayla asked softly.

"Is father dead!" Arya yelped.

Elia looked to her boys worried.

"No Arya, this is not how I die. "Ned said coming in he walked with a cane due to a leg injury.

"Your leg!" Elia said going to her husband.

"Will heal." Ned promised. "I am lucky my sons came to my aid when the did. You would be proud of your sons, all of them." Ned told his wife while she fussed over him.

"You would be proud of your daughters. Arya and Rayla helped the kingsguard get the boys to safety. Rhaenys ruled the kingdom and Mariah gave birth to your first granddaughter." Elia said smiling leading him over to where Mariah rested with her baby.

* * *

The days after wards were filled with work and little free time for the king and his council as they negotiated more with the Daenerys.

Ned knew exactly where to find Aegon he was the last one in the small council chamber. Looking over everything. He looked up to see Ned.

"How is your leg." Aegon asked looking back down.

"I will be fine, your mother would not allow otherwise." Ned assured, Aegon looked up at him with big purple eyes.

"You could have gotten killed why would you leave the keep."

"You were out there."

"With a knight of the kingsguard a legion of guards he has follow me around and Jon who's a great warrior. If you would have waited you would have seen I got back inside."

"Only to jump out a window."

"I did what I did to protect the people of the realm." Aegon said standing up Getting his first real look at Ned he had his cane in one hand but the little wooden wolf statue in the other hand he set it on the table. "What if you died? My mother needs you."

"I did it to protect my son. Because I still see you as the little boy who clutched this wolf and called me papa. "Ned said with a fond smile Aegon walked over to him with wide eyes he had no idea Ned still thought of him as his boy." Even though you are a great man grown now who does not need me or my opinions anymore. "Ned told him.

"I do not want your resignation from my life just your acceptance." Aegon informed with tears in his eyes.

"Egg I love you and Rhaenys no matter what." Ned promised. "I did not know how important my acceptance was to you. It wasn't when you married her without our permission." Ned reminded.

"No, I just wanted to be with her because I love her. It was only once we were married, I worried. I always thought we were like you and mother no one foresaw it, but we have a deep special love. And you see me more like Rhaegar taking what I want- "

"Is that what you thought?"

"I don't want to be like him or Aerys." Aegon admitted Ned pulled him into a hug.

"You are not, you have your mothers' good heart you always have. The stubbornness you get from me." Ned told him son. "I may not always understand but I am always on your side Aegon." Ned told him as Aegon pulled away he picked up the wolf statue.

"You know I have been a king most of my life, but as a boy I always wanted to be a Stark, I always wanted to be your son." Aegon admitted. "My father was an evil man and you were so good and righteous. You rebelled against my grandfather but gave me back my rightful throne. And when I think of true love I think of you and my mother. You always did right by her and her children."

"You may not have my name but you are my son. You will always be my son." Ned promised.

"Promise you will take care of my mother and that pack of wolves the two of you have."

"Until my dying days." Ned promised.


End file.
